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r 

REVIEW OF INCHIQUIN'S LETTERS, 



rUSlISHLD IN TU£ 



QUARTERLY REVIEW; 



ADDRESSES TQ 



THB BIGHT HONOURABLE 



GEORGE CANNING, ESQUIRE. 



BY AN 

INHABITANT OF NEW-ENGLAND. 



BOSTON; 

PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL T. AKMSTROI^G^ 

No, 50, CoBiraiLi. 

1815. 



E 1 & ; 



DlSTItlCT OF MASSACHUSETTS— To vwJ.- 
District Clerk^s Office. 
Be it riEMEMBEHEr, that on the eleventh day of April, A. D. 1815, and m 
the thhty-ninth year of the hidependeuce of tlie United States of Arr.ericaj 
SAMuiiL T. Armstho>'o, of tlie swid District, has ricposited in tliis oflife the 
title of a hook, the light whereof he claims as Proprietor, in the words follow- 
ing, to lifit: 

♦'Remarks on the Review of Inchiquin's Letters, published in the Quarterly 
Review; addressed to the Rij^ht Honourable George Canning, Esq. 

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, intitled, "An 
act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Chai'ts, 
and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the times 
therein mentioned;" and also to an act intitled, "An act supplementary to an 
act, intitled an act for the Encouragenient of Learning, by securing the Cop- 
ies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Projirietors of such Copies 
during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the 
Arts of DesiguiDg, Engraving, and Etching, Historical and other Prints." 

WILLIAM S. SHAW, 
Clerk of the District uf Massachusetts. 



PREFACE. 

WHEN the following Remarks were almost finished, 
I was informed, that Strictures on the Review of 
Inchiquhi's Letters had been just published in New 
York. As I have not read the Work, I can say- 
nothing of its merit: but some of my friends, who had 
seen it, urged me to finish what I had proposed, and 
to send it to the press. I have also been told, that 
some Observations have been published in one of the 
Boston news-papers on the same Review; but have 
not seen them. 

The general subject of these Remarks has become 
possessed of considerable importance. Great Britain 
and tlie United States are naturally friends; and their 
friendship to each other cannot fail, if it should exist, 
of being mutually and extensively beneficial. It has 
its foundation laid deep in the common origin, lan- 
guage, manners, laws, and religion; and scarcely less 
deep in the common interests. Its consequences can 
only be good: an interruption of it can only be mis- 
chievous: the destruction of it will be an evil, which 
cannot be measured. Nor will the injury to the 
United States be greater, so far as human foresight is 
able to divine, than to Great Britain. 

I have ever considered those, who on either side of 
the Atlantic have been willing to alienate these nations 



17 PREFAeE. 

from each other, as governed by passion and prejudice, 
or as acting from ignorance or thoughtlessness. In 
both countries they have been sufficiently numerous. 
Here, as writers, they have appeared chiefly in News- 
papers. In Great Britain they have assumed graver 
characters. Both the Travellers and the Literary 
Journalists of that Country have for reasons, which it 
would be idle to inquire after, and useless to allege, 
thought it proper to caricature the Americans. Their 
pens have been dipped in gall; and their representa- 
tions have been, almost merely, a mixture of malevo- 
lence and falsehood. As they have been long contin- 
ued, and very often repeated, it cannot be unkind, or 
in any sense improper, to examine their character. 

A great number of these abusive effusions have 
been published in British Reviews. They began in 
Sentences, and Paragraphs: they have now become 
the materials of extended discussion, and indicate 
with sufficient evidence, a settled hostility against this 
country. 

That Britons should feel the common resentment of 
enemies towards us, during the existence of the present 
w^ar, is certainly to be expected. But men, whose 
minds are professedly enlarged with literature and sci- 
ence, are fairly required to know, that what they write 
is at least probably founded in truth, and to assert 
nothing which is not well sustained by evidence. To 
such men prejudice and passion ought, at least during 
their sober lucubrations, to be strangers. By such 



PREFACE. V 

mea contempt and sneers ought to be admitted into 
their writings with reluctance. But in the Reviews, 
which I have mentioned, the Writers, in their Obser- 
vations concerning this Country, have uttered little be- 
side the language of contempt and ill nature. 

The existing Government of these States has labour- 
ed for a long time to alienate its citizens from Great 
Britain, and to attach them to France. The attempt 
has to some extent been blasted, hitherto: but it may 
be renewed with fresh vigour at no distant period. 
The only means of rendering it finally successful, of 
which 1 can conceive, will be the co-operation of 
Britons with the existing American Government in 
its favourite design. In such a co-operation these 
Writers have embarked with an ardour, scarcely to 
have been expected. Few measures could with equal 
efficacy bring forward such a catastrophe. Their 
writings are extensively read in this Country; and, 
wherever they are read, produce a resentment and in- 
dignation, not easily forgotten. Very naturally, they 
are supposed to be the sentiments of the British nation; 
and the supposition easily exhibits every prospect of 
future conciliation as hopeless, and even the wish for it 
as idle and childish: for who can rationally desire any 
connexion either with an individual, or a nation, capa- 
ble of such sentiments? 

The account, given, in the course of this Work, con- 
cerning the manner, in which the British Reviews are 
conducted, and concerning the character of the Re- 



VI PREFACE. 

viewers, will go far towards persuading the people df 
this Country, that they are not to receive their effusions 
as being the sentiments of the British Nation, but as 
ebullitions from inmates of the Fleet, King's hench^ and 
Newgate, prisons; or from other base and despicabls 
hirelings, employed to aid the dirty purposes of ar 
dirty bookseller. The Nation has not lost its former 
nobleness; and Reviewers are not the organs of its 
will. It still contains a multitude of great, and wise, 
and good men, who, when the present paroxism is 
over, will, I trust, act towards us, as such men may be 
fairly expected to act. 

The Review of Inchiqiiin\s Letters, as I have been 
ver^^ lately informed, has in this country been attribu- 
ted to Mr. Southei/. I can hardly admit the supposi- 
tion, that a man, possessing the reputation of this gen- 
tleman, can have been the author of so unworth}'^ a 
production. If it is his; I can only say, I regret it, for 
the sake of human nature. 

The attention paid in the course of these Remarks 
to Mr. Jeffrey, the Conductor of the Edinburgh Re- 
view, has been abundantly merited by the indecent 
sneers, and slanders, issued in that Journal concerning 
the inhabitants of the United States. Scotchmen, and 
Scotland, have been treated here with every expression 
of good will; and we deserve from them nothing, but 
to be "paid in kind." But in a Work, which from the 
beginning has either openly, or insidiously, been hos- 
tile to £5ood Government, and Christianity, who, not 



PREFACE. Vli 

destitute of Common Sense, can expect any thing, 
which is just, or honourable. As to Mr. Jeffrey him- 
self, the civilities, which he received here, turned his 
head; and have been requited only with insolence. 
Nothing better could lationally have been expected 
from a man, who had wickedness enough to go into 
the field, in order to gain the reputation of a duellist, 
and baseness enough to aajree beforehand with his mis- 
erable antagonist to fight with powder only. The 
Eid'mburgli Review sometimes exhibits superiour tal- 
ents; but, as a whole, it is a nuisance to the world. 

It is time that the people of this country should be- 
gin to estimate the foreigners, who visit it, more justly. 
Nine, out of ten, so far as their observations are pub- 
lished, are mere common slanderers; and appear to 
cross the ocean for little else than to bely us, as soon 
as they leave our shores. If they dislike our country 
and its inhabitants, let them stay at home. We shall 
not molest them. Here they claim, and receive, an 
attention,, due only to persons of worth; and then repay 
our civilities with contempt and abuse. It is sufiiciently 
painful to be ill-treated by men of respectability; but 
to be subjected to the heels, and tiie braying of such 
creatures, as Janson, Ashe, and Parkinson; and that, 
in a sense voluntaril}^, is to be humbled indeed. It is 
to be hoped, that Americans, before they again open 
their houses, and their l)earts, for the reception of 
foreign stragglers, will demand some evidence, that 
Lhey arc not scoundrels. Every worthy man, from 



Viii PREFACE. 

every country, I would welcome; and wish my coun- 
trymen to welcome, to every good office. But it is 
time, that we should begin to select from so corrupt a 
mass, such parts, as are at least not putrid. 

If we can be connected with Great Britain on 
terms of mutual good will, and mutual respect; I shall 
hail the connexion with the most sincere pleasure; but, 
if the people of that country are only to regard us with 
malignity and contempt, and to treat us with abuse 
and slander; the sooner, and the farther, we are sep- 
arated, the better. 

Feb. L 18J5. 



CONTENTS. 



Mr. Jefferson aad Mr. Madison, • • • - 

The War, , , ^ . . - 

Honourable character of the British Nation, 
Conduct of the War, . . - - - 

Comparison of British and American Rnlers, 
Congress compared with the British Parliament, 
American Elections, . . . - - 

English Elections, , . ,1 « . 

New England Elections, , . _ - - 

English Electioneering, - - - - - 

Talents in the House of Commons, . ^ . - 

Matthew Lyon, „ - . . • - 

Duels, -- _...-. 

Courts of Justice, ■ . . - . 

Toleration, - ,.,--- 

Justices of the Peace, , . . - . 

Mii'anda, . . • . . - - 

Pi-ofessional education of Lawyers, - . - 

of Physicians, , . - 

English Lawyers, ..... 

Stealing, ,.-..-- 

Separation of the church from the State and its consequences, 
Fanaticism of England, . - - - - 

Education of young men for the nynistry in America, 
In England, ....--- 
Character of the English Clergy, 
Of the American Clergy, 
Of American Merchants, 
Of British Merchants, - . - 

Morals and Manners of the Americans, 
Landjobbers, ... 

American rudeness, ... 

Taverns, - • - - ■ 

English Taverns, ... 

American Women, . - - 

American Slavery, ... 

English, - . . - 

West India, . . . - 

Redemptioners, ... 

American intemperance, . - - 

English intemperance. 



Page. 
14 
15 
16 
17 
21 
37 
29 
33 
37 
SS 
40 
41 
42 
44 
45 
47 
ib. 
ib. 
48 
ib. 
49 
50 
52 
54 
55 
64 
70 
ib. 
7t 
72 
ib. 
73 
74 
77 
79 
SO 
81 
83 
86 
87 
88 



XH CONTENTS. 

Gouging, -.-..-- -90 

Amusements of the English, ..... 91 

Morals of Manchester, .......93 

of Birmingham, .-.--. 93 

of London, .......97 

Mediocrity of wealth in America, ..... lol 

Genius and Learning of Amerieaos^ ...» - 106 

Barlow's Columbiad, .-.-•- 107 

Mae Fingal, ........ib. 

Dr. Franklin, 108 

Dr. Rittenhouse, .--...- lOf& 

Madley's Quadrant, ---.*-. m 

City of Washington, - - - . - - -112 

Jf aval Efforts of the Americans, - . - - . US 

Debates in Congress, - . - - - . .Hi 

In the British Parliament, --.... ib. 

Lord Lauderdale, ..--.._ ib. 

Lord Stanhope, .--.--- 116 

Sir Gregory Page Turner, .-.._. ib. 

Lord Stanhope, - - - - - . - 118 

Mr. Drake, jun. ........ 119 

Earl of Abingdon, -..-_-_ 12I 

Morals of Parliament, ..--... 12S 

Lord Cochrane, ----... 124 

Decency, -----_.. 126 

John Elwes, -.-...__ ift. 

Lewdness in Great Britain, ^ - . - - . Igg 

Edinburgh Review, -.-.-.. 129 

Conductor of it, - ...... 130 

Language of the United States, ..... 13^ 

of Great Britain, -.-... i4q 

Account of British Reviews, --..-. 144 

Remarks on this account, - - .... I5g 

on this abuse of the Americaas, ... - J6^ 



REMARKS, &c. 

Sir, 

YOU are reported, in this country, to have in- 
stituted, and to controul, a literary journal, published 
hi London, under the title of The Quarterly Review. 
Whether the report is just, or not, I am unable to de- 
termine. If it is just; the following observations are 
intentionally directed to you. If not; the proper ap- 
plication of them will be made to some other person, 
probably unknown to the public as the principal 

patron. 

In the twentieth number of this work, Art. 11th, is 

a review of a production, styled "-Inchiquin the Jesu-. 
a^s Letters, during a late residence in the United States 
of America.^' The title you consider, and I presume 
justly, as fictitious; and attribute the work to a Phil- 
adelphian^ named IngersoU. There is a man of this 
name in that city, whom the inhabitants, in one of 
those fits of delirium, which often seixe upon large 
cities, sent as their Representative to Congress. Here 
he rendered himself in a very short time both odious 
and contemptible; and received such a flagellation from 
the Hon. Mr. Stockton, of New Jersey, as neither he 
nor his countrymen will soon forget: a flagellation, 
you will permit me to add, (since you are so ready 
to accuse us of manual violence^ administered, not 
with the hand, but with the tongue. That this silly 
man may have written the book, of which you speak; 
and that it may be a very silly book; I am not dis- 
posed to question. As the only knowledge of it^ 

which I possess, 15 derived ivQin this review, I am not 
3 



14 Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Madison. 

warranted to contradict any assertions concerning it, 
which are made by the reviewer. Had your strictures 
been confined to Inchiquin's Letters; you would nev- 
er have heard from me. 

In an early part of this paper you inform us, that 
the book has suggested to you, that "it might not be 
uninstructive, or unamusing to enquire a little into the 
character of the people, whom its Government are 
thus endeavouring to inflame into unextinguishable 
hatred against us, and whom we are so desirous of 
conciliating." "In doing this," you tell us, "we do not 
profess to take Inchiquin for our only guide; but shall 
avail ourselves of many partial, and scattered, hints to- 
wards a correct portrait of the people of the United 
States, which are to be found in the works of their 
own artists, as well as in those of foreigners, who have 
preceded this Jesuitical author." This is a task, upon 
which you have entered pretty extensively heretofore*, 
and which has been assumed by several other literary 
journalists of Great Britain. The spirit, with which 
it has been executed, has been the same: and it may 
be asserted without the least fear of well founded con- 
tradiction, that it is the very spirit, which you censure 
with so much severity; equally causeless; equally ma- 
lignant; equally dishonourable to him, by whom it is 
cherished. 

There are two subjects, on which you have remark- 
ed extensively, and about which I shall give myself 
little concern. These are the characters, and the ad- 
minislrations, of Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Madison. I 
am a federalist, and a New Englander; a Yankee, as 
a multitude of your countrymen choose to style us, 
with the same gentlemanly spirit, with which they call 
the French frog-eaters^ the Italians, fiddlers; and the 



The War. 15 

Russians, bears; with which they see nothing in the 
Scotch, but dirt and the itch; in the Irish, nothing but 
bulls, and lies; and in the Dutch, nothing but smoak- 
ing, cheating, and stupidity; with which Dr. Clarke, 
otherwise a worthy man, and plainly possessed of re- 
spectable talents, declares, that every Russian, whom 
he met, was a rogue; that both sexes in that country, 
and those even of high rank, are encrusted with filth, 
and covered with vermin. 

There is not, I presume, an Englishman, who re- 
gards the character, and politics, of Mr. Jefferson, and 
Mr. Madison, with less approbation than myself. The 
former I consider as a cunning, the latter as a weak, 
man; and both, as hollow in their professions, insin- 
cere in their declarations, disposed without reluctance 
to sacrifice their country to the acquisition, and reten- 
tion, of power, and actually sacrificing it, so far as they 
have been able, for the accomplishment of horrid, and 
despicable purposes. In the progress of their measures 
I know not one, which wears even the appearance of 
patriotism, or principle. 

The war, existing between Great Britain and this 
country, of which you complain with the best reason, 
is in my opinion unnatural, impolitic on our part, 
causeless, and unjust. I do not mean, that you have 
given us no grounds for complaint. Your Orders in 
Council were, to say the least, of a very questionable 
nature; and the treatment, which our commerce has 
received from you, both before and since that period, 
is incapable of any vindication. But we, also, had act- 
ed in a manner, equally censurable towards you. It 
is unnecessary, that I should recite the provocations, 
which we have given you. Suffice it to say, that France, 
to whom with a spirit of drivelling infatuation we at- 



16 The War, 

tached ourselves, had injured us ten times, where you 
had done it once; and in a degree, which outran cal" 
cuiation Mr. Jefferson, a Spaniel where Bonaparte 
was concerned, and, while he thought himself safe 
under the imperial and royal protection, growling and 
bristling in a manner, somewhat formidable, at Great 
^nVam, thought, poor man! that Gieai Br if ain would 
certainly cease to be an independent nation within 
twelve months from the date of the treaty concluded 
by Messrs. Munroe and Pinckney. This, he himself 
declared to Dr. Logan, was the reason why he reject- 
ed that treaty: a reason, for alleging which a child ten 
years old, if such a child could have been found, who 
would have allei>ed it, ought to have been whipped. 

At this time the British nation was employed, and 
had for many years been employed, in detending 
what was left of the liberty, and safety, of the human 
race; the protestant religion; and the remains of liter- 
ature, arts, science, civilization, and happiness; from 
the jaws of the Corsican Cyclop. The expense, which 
she incurred, the bravery of her fleets and armies, the 
skill and conduct of her officers, the wisdom and firm- 
ness of her councils, and the unanimity, patriotism and 
perseverance, of her inhabitants, outrun all praise; and 
surpass every preceding example. Blasted be the wish- 
es of the man, who desires to see your nation in any 
other than prosperous circumstances; and who will 
not rejoice to see it free, virtuous and happy. The 
human race are your debtors: and to you, under God, 
it is owing in a great measure, that the inhabitants of 
this country ara in possession of their own liberty and 
independence. I say this, because it is true: and not 
one of my own countrymen, although I am well 



The War. 17 

aware that many of them v\ ill deny the position, will 
be able to refute it. 

In this situation, that the American Government 
should wish success to Napoleon was equally a proof 
of profligacy, and madness. Should he succeed; the 
only boon, which could be expected for the inhabit- 
ants of this country, was to be eaten up last; and the 
period at which they were to be devoured, was at so 
small a distance, as to render the postponement of the 
crisis scarcely a privilege. 

This single fact tinctures the war, deeply, with the 
character of ingratitude. We were neutrals: but we 
bad the same interest in its issue, as if we had been a 
party. You were defending our interest; while we 
were opposing it. Heaven blessed you with success: 
and glory be to the Author of all blessing, that he was 
pleased to give it in so bountiful a manner. 

Far, very far, however, is this from being a complete 
account of the merits of your countrymen. I'hey 
have done more to define, and perpetuate, liberty; to 
form a wise, upright, and stable government; to im- 
prove agriculture, arts, and manufactures; to extend 
learning, and science; and to advance the interests of 
morality, and religion; than any other nation, ancient 
or modern. Your judicial system is an exhibition of 
more wisdom than can be found in the internal police 
of any spot on the globe. The British and Foreign 
Bible Society, if there were no other monument of 
your nation to be left, would transmit your character 
to future generations with a glory, which will expire 
only with the ages of time. 

With the Conduct of the war, on our part, I am but 
little better pleased than with the original declaration. 
The plan of conquering Canada was equally iniqui- 



18 The Conduct of the War. 

tous, and absurd. The inhabitants of Upper Cana- 
da were chiefly emigrants from the United States; 
and left behind them brothers and sisters, parents and 
children. Those of Lower Canada were perfectly 
friendly to us. Neither of them had done us any 
wrong. Yet these were the people, who were to un- 
dergo the principal sufferings of the war; and no rea- 
son could be assigned, at the suggestion of which aa 
upright man would not blush, why we should be wil- 
ling, that they should suffer at all. The acquisition of 
Canada would have been only injurious to us. To 
govern it has cost you immense sums. The United 
States it would have cost much more. To you the pos- 
session of Canada was safe. Were that country ours; 
we should be exposed to the discontent, turmoil, and 
insurrections, of the inhabitants: evils, to which no 
limits can be foreseen; and the expense of blood, and 
treasure, which would be necessary to quell, not to say 
exterminate, them, it would be very difficult to esti- 
mate: to omit what is much more important; the im- 
measurable guilt of bringing the miseries, inseparable 
from such a process, upon a people, to whom we owe 
nothing but good will. 

Our Government was ill informed, and weak, 
enough to believe these people their friends: and un- 
der this persuasion resolutely attempted, at the com- 
mencement of the war, to detach them from their alle- 
giance, and their interests. Alternately, they were 
threatened, and courted: and the same hand held out 
to them the torch and the olive branch. The Cana- 
dians wisely disregarded both; and, unterrified by 
that preeminent specimen of barbarism, the procla- 
mation of Gen. Hull, (dictated for that officer, as I 
am told he declares; at Washingion,) adhered to their 



The Conduct of the War, 19 

interest, and their Sovereign. Since that period we 
have done what was in our power to alienate them 
still further, and, it must be acknowledged, have been 
eminently successful. They now hate us as cordially, 
as we can desire; and, it is to be hoped, that even the 
unsusceptible mind of Mr. Madison, illustrious as he 
is for pertinacity, has already, or will soon, become a 
convert to this opinion. If not, let him send Gen. Pe- 
ter B. Potier on two or three more Indian excursions 
into that country; and all the difficulties in the way 
of his conversion will vanish. 

Gen. Hull, who was sent at the commencement of 
the war to subdue Upper Canada, and who had ac- 
quired an honourable character as a field officer in the 
American Revolution, particularly in the resistance 
made to Gen. Burgoyue, was hurried off to Detroit 
with an expedition, which indicated, that his employ- 
ers supposed he had nothing to do, after his arrival, 
but to say " Veni, vidi, vici;^' and the work would be 
done. He found at Detroit half an army, half vict- 
ualled, half clothed, miserably furnished with the means 
of making war, and with little provision for their own 
safety, health, or comfoit. The disastrous issue of the 
enterprise was an equal, and signal, proof of the folly 
of those, by whom it was originated, and of the jus- 
tice of God. 

A similar character must be given of the succeed- 
ing attempts of Gens. Dearborn, Hampton, and fViL- 
kinson. An examination of them, here, would be un- 
necessary and tedious. I shall not, therefore, weary 
myself with writing, nor you with reading it. It will 
be enough to say, that by our various expeditions in- 
to Canada we have lost much, and gained nothing. 
We have, indeed, inflicted many evils upon you. Of 



20 The Conduet of the War. 

this we ought to be ashamed; and for it we have been, 
and hereafter probably may be still more, severely 
punished. We have destroyed your people; and you, 
ours. You have boasted of your victories, and so have 
we of ours; and both, often without any reason. We 
have burnt your villages; and you have burnt ours. 
We blew up the parliament house at Little York; 
and you blew up the American Capitol, and the Pres- 
ident's house, at Washington. The destruction was 
in both cases causeless, and wanton; and both parties 
exhibited themselves as mere barbarians. Yet I con- 
fess, we set you the example. Sir George Prevost, 
however, in a solemn proclamation, published after 
the destruction of Buff aloe Creek, and its environs, de- 
clared, that the work of retaliation had been carried 
sufficiently far. From this time nothing had occurred, 
which could justify the ravages at Washington. 

In your attacks upon us you have had little more 
success than we in ours upon you. The bargain has 
been a losing one on both sides; and the sooner it is 
terminated, the better. A little common sense, and a 
little good nature, would easily bring the controversy 
to a close- But it is questionable whether your govern- 
ment, or ours, will very soon possess enough of either 
to effectuate so desirable a purpose. That ours will, 
I confess, I have no expectation. 

Your History of the progress of the American gov- 
ernment is in some respects just, and in some errone- 
ous. If you wish to see the subject correctly stated; 
you will fmd it exhibited in a masterly manner by the 
Hon. Robert Goodloe Harper^ in an Address to his fel- 
low citizens, assembled at Annapolis^ to celebrate the 
victories of the Allies over Napoleon. Permit me to 
recommend this work to you, although it is an Amer- 



The American Rulers. 21 

ican production, and written in a country, which you 
think a land of barbarism and blunders. It will 
afiford you much useful instruction, which you cannot 
get elsewhere; and will teach you to write with a bet- 
ter spirit, and in better language. At the same time it 
will gratify your spleen against one class of the Amer^ 
leans by shewing you the unworthy character, and 
disgraceful conduct, of the leaders of that class; and 
the base manner, in which they collected, and arrang- 
ed, their political party. The expectation of being 
gratified in this respect, will, I hope, induce you to 
read the book. 

The first theme of your censure is made up of our 
Rulers, and their Administration. On this subject I 
presume you will hardly demand of me more liberal 
concessions than those, which I have already made. 
Let us now turn oUr eyes to Great Britain; and see 
whether in this respect our character will suffer by a 
comparison with yours. Mr. Jefferson and Mr. 
Madison are, we will suppose, weak Tiien. To the 
former, indeed, you allow a plausible address, and 
considerable talents: and it must be acknowledged, that 
he possesses, in no contemptible degree, the talent, 
which is styled Cunning. As to talents of any other 
nature, 1 will leave him to display and his friends to 
admit them. Place both these Magistrates as low as 
you please. Were they weaker men than your John, 
Stephen, Henry III, Henry VI, Edward //, James T, 
Charles H, and James //? Could not as many, and 
those equally ridiculous and contemptible, things be 
written, even now, concerning each of these men, as 
concerning the two American Chiefs? Were not both 
their private conduct, and their public policy, at least 
4 



^2 Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Madison, 

as despicable; Englishmen themselves being the 
Judges. 

But "the American Rulers are grossly viciou3 
men" The private deportment of Mr. Madison is, I 
believe, altogether decent, so far as what is commonly 
styled morality, is concerned. It is true, he makes no 
pretensions to the character of a religious man. But, 
I believe, he never swears, gets drunk, frequents the 
gambling table, nor keeps a mistress. How small, Sir, 
do you think, is the number of your princes, of whom 
this could be said with truth? Look back, if you 
please, upon the list which I have set before you; and 
tell me how many it contains, who were not blots, 
and brands, upon the character of man. 

You complain, and justly, of the hypocriiical pol- 
itics, and false professions, of these Presidents. Mr. 
Madison^ s hypocrisy is clumsy, and awkward. Mr. 
Jefferson'^s is adroit, and sits upon him like an accom- 
plishment; and, visible as it always was to men of 
sense and integrity, has nevertheless satisfied his party, 
and kept them in order. That of Charles II, though 
he was plainly inferiour to Mr. Jefferson in talents, 
was equally efficacious in controuling the principal 
men, and the great body, of the English nation. Not 
only did they unite very generally in his profligate and 
ruinous measures, but addressed him, and spoke of 
him publicly and privately, in terms of the most exag- 
gerated and fulsome adulation; such as on a modern 
ear produces effects, very similar to those, which are 
experienced by the palate, when tasting Ipecacuanha. 
A few of the distinguished Ministers of your church, 
and a few illustrious Laymen, opposed the abominable 
measures of this fiend in human shape; but the rest; 
your Clergy, Nobles, Parliament, and People; united 



Slave- Trade. 23 

together in a vast mob, and followed with a hue and 
cry of applause this vile man, who was labouring to 
destroy at once their liberty and their religion. 

You complain of the injustice of our Rulers to 
Great Britain. Admit it. Turn your eyes, if you 
please, upon your own country. Recollect the mis- 
eries, which you have brought upon the people of 
Hindoostan, and upon the wretched inhabitants of 
Africa. Follow for a moment your Slave factors, 
prowling through this unhappy region, like a collec- 
tion of wolves and tygers, and destroying by the wars, 
which they kindled, an endless multitude of the inhab- 
itants, for the purpose of selling another endless multi- 
tude into hopeless, agonizing bondage; of whom one 
half perished on the way, and the other became vic- 
tims, at no distant period, to toil, and torture. 

You will tell me, perhaps, that we are equally, and 
even more, interested in this charge than yourselves; 
that we have not only been active in this infamous 
traffic, but have bought, and kept, and still keep, these 
miserable people in bondage. Softly, Sir. Our own 
share in this business was all begun, and carried on, 
under your patronage, and controul. When we form- 
ed our National Constitution, the States stipulated, in 
effect, that after the year 180S the importation of 
slaves should cease. To this stipulation the slave- 
holding States were parties: and it was the earliest 
dereliction of this iniquitous traffic, to which they 
would consent. Blame them for this part of their 
conduct as much as you please. I shall feel no in- 
ducement to refute the charge. Tiie other States 
either abolished slavery in their Constitutions at the 
first moment of tlieir political existence; or exterminate 



24 Oppression of (he Hindoos. 

ed it by the earliest emancipation, which was in their 
power. This was particularly true of New England. 

You will perhaps reply, that Great Britain has 
performed the same act of justice in a manner still 
more efficacious. I rejoice in it. The name of JVil' 
herforce, Sharp, Clark^on, and their associates, 1 re- 
gard with all the respect, which can be due to mere 
men; and hail with inexpressible delight the triumph, 
atchieved by them at the end of a war, of near 20 
years, over Liverpool slave-dealers, over West Indian 
slave holders, and over all the phalanx of avatice, bar- 
barity, and opi ression. They have erected to them- 
selves a monument of glory, c^re perennius. 

At the same time I remember with no small morti- 
fication the hostility, the abuse, the base passions, and 
the despicable sentiments, which through this long 
period they were obliged to encounter; not only from 
the West Indian slave-holders, and the Liverpool 
slave- merchants, who, together with their friends, 
found their way into your Senate, but in many instan- 
ces, also, from the independent Gentlemen, and even 
■from the Noblemen, of your country. We accom- 
plished the business with much less difficulty; notwith- 
standing a great part of our Convention, and after- 
wards of our Congress, was composed of those, whose 
property consisted extensively in slaves. 

In Hindoostan your public conduct was for a long 
period, and until very lately, so oppressive to the mis- 
erable inhabitants, that persons of the first distinction in 
Great Britain branded it with the deepest shame. 
You have begun a reformation, at which every good 
man rejoices. Our conduct toward the Aborigines of 
our country, though scandalous, is far from being 
equally infamous with yours towards the Hindoos: 



The British Royal Family. 25 

and the name of Harrison will go down to posterity 
with less infamy, than those of Clivej and Sykes. Rut, 
in this respect, you have begun to reform: we have 
not. 

Very unpleasant tales hang upon the private charac- 
ter oi Mr. Jefferson; but he never sacrificed his own 
daughter, as James the \st. did the wife of the Elector 
Palatine; nor his own friend, as the same miserable 
prince did Sir Walter Raleigh: and his life, with the ut- 
most enormities attributed to it, cannot be placed by the 
side of that brute in human shape, Charles the 2d. Nor 
did he more directly, more universally, or more wan- 
tonly, sacrifice the interests of the country, which he 
governed. It has not yet been proved, that he was a 
pensioner of France; nor was his servile dependence 
On Bonaparte so servile as that o^ Charles on Loids 
lUh. Nor is the war, in which we are now involved, 
more despicable, or more directly injurious to our in- 
terests, than the second Dutch war, carried on b}*" 
Charles in obedience to Louis, was to those of Great 
Britain. Charles''s whole private life was a mere 
mass of putrefaction. 

While we are on this subject, let me turn your atten- 
tion for a moment to the behaviour of some of the 
members of the present reigning Family. Recal to 
your remembrance for a single moment the story of 
Mrs. Pitzherbert; the present situation of the Princess 
of Wales; the story of "T/ie Book;" the history of 
the Marchioness of Yarmoicth; and a few other items, 
of the same unfortunate nature; particularly the whole 
history of the Duke of York. It is enough for me 
to direct the eye of an Englishman to these objects. 
I shall not insist upon them. 



3d Character of British Traveliers. 

To these, however, I could, as you very easily 
know, add a terrible list, if I were to go back through 
the history of your Government. To say nothing of 
the infernal spirit of Mary the isf, the capricious and 
brutal violence of her Father, and the enormous avar- 
ice of her Grandfather; what do you think of the ex- 
ecution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the barbarous 
treatment of several of her own subjects, by your 
'good queen Bess^ If the character of rulers is to 
stamp that of a nation; there are, I fear, very few peri- 
ods of your history, which will bear an examination. 
How few of your Edwards and Henrys, of whom 
you boast so much, although several of them possess- 
ed great talents, were men of even a decent character. 
Antecedently to the present reigning Family, three or 
four princes will, I suspect, be all, whom you would 
choose to name as persons of unblemished reputation. 

You cannot but observe, Sir, the tenderness, with 
which I have treated your country, nor failed to have 
remarked the contrast, exhibited in it to the brutal 
Billingsgate, with which you have insulted mine. The 
facts, which you have alleged, you have drawn almost 
wholly from British travellers; w'ho, with a few ex- 
ceptions, have either from ignorance, or dishonesty, 
or both, so extensively violated truth, as to persuade 
the inhabitants of this country to doubt the soundness 
of all books of travels. The proverbial language, 
here, concerning this subject is, "What reason have 
we to suppose, that other travellers are more honest 
than these; or that they are better informed? Both 
their mistakes, and their falsehoods, are innumerable. 
Their works, instead of being portraits of this country, 
are caricatures. If they have drawn other countries 
in the same manner; we know them from these writ- 



American Legislaiure. 27 

jngs, only as we know the character of a man from 
the calumnies of his enemies, or the ribaldry of his 
satirists." 

There is, however, another source of error, from 
which both they and you, take occasion to indulge 
the love, and the malignity of misrepresentation, with 
some advantage to yourselves, and gross injustice to 
us. Your travellers lay hold on a news- paper para- 
graph, an abusive pamphlet, or a scandalous tale, which 
they heard recited in conversation; and from one or 
other of these sources derive some fact, or facts, which 
have really existed. The facts themselves, in which 
only one, or a few individuals were concerned, you 
attribute to classes of men; and derive from them con- 
clusions, which you fasten on the whole American 
people. 

With the same equity you seize upon a custom, or 
characteristic, existing in a greater or less degree in 
some part of this country, and without qualification 
attribute it to the inhabitants universally. With equal 
truth might you ascribe the manners of Kamschaikd 
to the people of St. Petershurgh, and those of the 
Cornwall wreckers to the citizens of Westminster. In 
this manner what is originally true in your details is 
changed into falsehood; and facts are perverted to the 
purposes of slander. 

Your second attack is made on our National Leg- 
islature. You sift the character of the Electors, and 
their Representatives; and inform us from Peter Porcu- 
pine, (Pray, Sir, did you go to the gaol, in which he lay 
confined by one of your courts of justice, for libelling 
your Government, to get this tale from him?) that "in 
America the man of the people is one, who frequents 
the grog-shops, smokes a cigar, and harangues the pop- 



28 John Wilkes, Sykes, and Burdeit. 

ulace with violent abuse of the hostile faction.'^ You 
then tell us of a man, "who had married a free black- 
woman in the IVest Indies, had several children by 
her, robbed and left her, went to the U. S. married 
another wife, and, "with all these blushing honours 
thick upon him," was elected a member of the Senate," 
We have undoubtedly scandalous members in our 
Congress. "Pray, Sir, what think you o( John Wilkes, 
elected into your Parliament by the proud city of 
London; of which you and your countrymen boast 
in much the same terms with those, in which iVe6- 
iichadnezzar boasted of Babylon; of John fVilkes 
elected a member of Parliament by the city of Lon- 
don; expellexl by the House of Commons, and by 
the same city elected a second time; of John Wilkes, 
who wrote the Essay on Woman, a mass of corrup- 
tion and impiety, such as probably the world never saw 
before; of John Wilkes, elected at the very time when 
this putrid production came to light, and thus sanc- 
tioned and supported, in this stupendous iniquity, b}' 
the public voice of that great city? What think you of 
Sykes, who was elected member of your Parliament, 
after having starved in India one million of people by 
purchasin<^ the rice, on which alone they were to live, 
and refusing to sell it again till he could obtain the 
price, put upon it by his own avarice? What think 
you of -Sir Francis Burdeit, the representative of 
your polite city of Westminster^ For his character I 
need not refer you to the books, whence 1 have learn- 
ed it. I refer you to your own knowledge. Now, 
Sir, permit me to ask. Do you believe, that any 
scoundrels in the American Congress are greater 
scoundrels than these; or that any Orator of a stump 
in the Southern States, or any backwoodsman in 



American Elections. 29 

KenhicJcy, Ohio, or Tennessee, ever deserved to be 
hanged half as many times? 

Let me remind you, also, that this custom of 
haranguing a mob, as means of obtaining an election, 
is derived from Great Britain; that the names of 
Fox, and Burke, are enrolled, as well as those of 
Wilkes and Burdcif, among your field orators; and 
that although they did not mount a hogshead, or a 
stump, the difference of the rostrum makes no differ- 
ence in the practice, to the eye either of morality, or 
taste; that, although they were probably more elo- 
quent than the Ciceros of Kentucky, or Tennessee, 
and somewhat more learned; and thus were able, like 
Virgil, Ho toss about their dung with an air of maj- 
esty;" yet the superiority of their character serves only 
to display the conduct with moie deformity; and that 
the higher your claims of intelligence and refinement 
are, the deeper is your disgrace on account of this bar- 
barism. Permit me further to inform you, that this 
practice has no existence north of Maryland. 

You observe that "every free man in America, aye 
and free woman too, is a voter, and every one is free, 
who declares himself to be worth fifty pounds;" and, 
you add, "None thinks of boggling, if required, to 
swear to this qualification; none more expert at an 
evasion or equivocation than a citizen of the United 
States." 

These declarations, Sir, are, it must be owned, very 
candid, and very gentlemanly. Some of them I will 
examine here: others I shall notice in the sequel. 
You say that every freeman in America is a voter. 
If you intend, that every man is a voter who is not a 
slave, the assertion is a falsehood, supremely scanda- 
lous to you, because it is hardly possible, that you 

r? ' 



so American Elections. 

should not have known it to be false; and because 
such ignorance would be scarcely less disgraceful to a 
man of your political character than the untruth. If 
you intend, what the word is used to denote in this 
country, that every man who possesses the right of 
voting is a voter; the assertion is true: and I congratu- 
late you on the profoundness of the discovery. 

But you say "every free-woman in this country is 
a voter." In the Constitution of New Jersey, phrase- 
ology, admitted, as I understand, by mere inadverten- 
cy, was supposed by some of its inhabitants to give 
the right of voting to women: and in a very small 
number of instances,* and within very limited districts, 
women have acted as voters. This, Sir, is the only 
fouadation on which rests your broad assertion, that 
every free- woman in America is a voter. From a 
person who sports with truth in this manner, what 
can be expected, but such a foul mass of falsehood 
and abuse, as is contained in the Review of the Let- 
ters of Inchiqiiin? 

The terms on which men are admitted to the elective 
franchise in this country, are far from according with 
my own wishes. In some of the States they are bet- 
ter, and in others worse, than in Great Britain. In 
one respect they are immeasurably better. We give 
the right to men of every description, who possess the 
personal character, and the pecuniary qualifications^ 
specified by the law. We do not confine the election 
to particular trades, nor to particular spots of ground. 
We have no Old Sarums, where one man sends two 
members to Parliament; and no BirminghamSy 
where eiglity thousand do not send one. Every 

*I kaow but one instaac* 



British House of Commons^ 31 

thirty five thousand freeborn inhabitants are enipovv- 
ered to send one member to Congress, and every man 
in this hst, who possesses the personal character, and 
pecuniary qualifications, required by law, either has, 
or may at his option have, a right to vote for this 
member. Now, Sir, we Americans believe, that this is 
a more equitable method of conferring the right of 
election than that, which is adopted in Great Britain. 
That, as described by a writer,* to whose authority 
you will not object, is the following. "The House of 
Commons consists of five hundred and forty eight 
members; of whom two hundred are elected by seven 
thousand constituents: so that a majority of these 
seven thousand without any reasonable title to supe- 
riour weight or influence in the state, may, under cer- 
tain circumstances, decide a question against the opin- 
ion of as many millions. Or, to place the same ob- 
ject in another point of view: if my estate be situated 
in one county of the kingdom, I possess the ten thous- 
andth part of a single representative; if in another 
the thousandth; if in a particular district, 1 may be 
one in twenty, who choose two representatives; if in 
a still more favored spot, I may enjoy the right of 
appointing two, myself. Or thirdly, to describe the 
state of national representation as it exists in reality, it 
may be affirmed, I believe, with truth, that about one 
half of the House of Commons obtain their seats in 
that assembly by the election of the people; the other 
half by purchase^ or by the nomination of single 
pn'oprietors of great estates.''^ This picture, Sir, is de- 
formed: the original cannot be very beautiful. It 
may be beyond your power to adopt a better mode. 
It was within ours; and we adopted it. 

• Paley's Moi'. Phil. 



32 Coventry Election. 

Yet you say, *'The popular representation in the 
United States is a great fallacy, and a complete fraud, 
on the people: and we agree with him, (the Jesuit,) 
that the Turkish Constitution, which calls a leader to 
his post by acclamation, may just as well be called a 
popular representation." And do you really believe, 
Sir, that our representation is not as fair, as that, in 
which the one half of the representatives obtain their 
seats by purchase or by the nomination of single pro- 
prietors of great estates? I should not have thought 
that even a Reviewer, accustomed as he is to say cyC' 
ry thing, which may gratify the passions and preju- 
dices of himself, and his party, could have said this 
without recalling, at least for one moment, the blush, 
so long exiled from his cheeks. 

If our people are not as fairly represented as those 
of England, the want of fairness must be derived, not 
from the principle, but from abuses of it in the practice. 
That we are guilty of many such abuses, I am not 
disposed to question. 

Read, if you please, Sir, the following account of an 
election in Coventry, in the year 1805; written by a 
gentleman of more respectability than all your travel- 
lers in America united. "I had heard much of Eng- 
lish elections, and thought m}'Self very fortunate in 
having an opportunity to see the bustle of such an 
occasion. But I am quite satisfied with one exhibition 
of the kind; nor do I wish ever to behold another. 
For never before did I niDitness such a scene - of 
drunkenness, uproar^ and riot. The genius of Mac 
Fingal, or of Hudibras, alone could convey to you an 
adequate idea of a state of things, in which was most 
forcibly exhibited the majesty of the sovereign people, 
ej^ercising the right of unbiassed suffrage." 



Coventry Election, 33f 

"It seems, that the voters at English elections do 
not necessarily reside on the spot; many live in remote 
towns; and, when the period of election arrives, are 
transported to the place by the candidates, whose 
cause they espouse, and are maintained by them free 
of expense during the contest, which frequently lasts 
two or three weeks. It is stated in extenuation of 
this practice, that some of the electors, and especially 
mechanics and labourers, cannot afford to leave their 
homes, and pursuits, to travel to a distant county, and 
remain at their own charge during a contested elec- 
tion; and that, therefore, it is but reasonable, that the 
candidates should sustain this expense. However 
plausible this statement may appear, it is certain, that 
it is only an apology for an indirect species of bribery, 
not less effectual than the direct giving of money. For 
under the pretence of maintaining their voters, the can- 
didates buy them with wine, whiskey, and dinners: 
for he is always the best patriot, who gives the peo- 
ple the most good things." 

^'The poll was held in a building, which appeared to 
be the market; and the respective parties were striv- 
in£^, each to prevent the other from getting up to the 
poll, to give their votes. For this purpose they did 
not hesitate to use every degree of violence, short of 
blows. The contest was principally in pushing. The 
two contending parties were arranged in opposition 
like two armies. When they came up to the poll, the 
two fronts met; and in every instance a violent con- 
test ensued: hands to hands, face to face, and shoulder 
to shoulder: and when one party gave way, the other 
would press tumultu-ously on till all fell in a promiscu- 
ous heap, l^hen the victorious party rising from ofT 
their fallen antagonists, would shout, vociferating 



34 Coventry Election. 

huzzas, throwing their hats into the air, and making 
it ring with Mills! Mills! or Parry! Parry! according 
as one or the other prevailed. In these contests, which 
appeared to be in the main rather good natured, 
individuals occasionally kindled into a rage; and 
bloody noses and torn coats and shirts were usually 
the consequence. I saw one man who had lost half 
his coat, and half his shirt; and his bleeding back and 
face were marked with the talons of some rival voter." 

Such, Sir, is the description of one of your elec- 
tions. Were such an one to exist in New England; 
it would form an aera in our history; would cover 
with infamy both the electors and the candidates; and 
so long as it was remembered, would scandalize their 
posterity. 1 have lived long in this country; and have 
never yet known a single shilling given to purchase a 
vote. That it may have been done in solitary instan- 
ces, since the sera of Mr. Jefferson's inauguration 
may be true: but the instances must have been very 
few. Compare this with the following declaration of 
the same gentleman. "The parties were very nearly 
equal in numbers: the contest had already continued 
several days: and it was thought it would cost Mr. 
Parry twenty thousand pounds.'' You will remem- 
ber, that this is not one of those elections, "which," 
Dr. Paley informs us, "are obtained by purchase." 

But we are not at the end of our progress The 
writer goes on: "I know not whether this election is 
to be regarded as a fair sample of similar things in 
England; but I heard a gentleman say, at Liverpool, 
that these contests sometimes end in blood; that he 
had seen them on some occasions unpave a whole 
street; when every window, and lamp, would fly to 
pieces." 



Coventry Election^ 36 

And again: ''The mob were all monarchs: for they 
were all noisy, and all drunk." "The alternate vic- 
tors, in the intervals of the contests, sung a kind of 
chorus, with loud acclamations, frantic gestures, and 
convulsive expressions of joy in their features. 1'he 
bottle went round merrily over the heads of the pop- 
ulace; and it was amusing enough to see the address, 
used to get it to the mouth. The crowd was so 
great, and such the eagerness to seize the bottle, that it 
was constantly held up at arm's length above the head: 
and thus it was moved on in the air; one man wrest- 
ing it from another: and sometimes half a dozen had 
hold of it at once. At length some one, more reso* . 
lute than his neighbours, or less drunk than they, 
would grasp the bottle; and, when with, much effort it 
had acquired a determination towards a particular 
throat, so great was the jobtiing, and shoving, that the 
wide-mouthed expectant would sometimes make sev- 
eral unsuccessful attempts to close his lips upon the 
nozzle; and in the mean time the liquor would be 
running in streams into his face and bosom." 

You should not complain of American rudeness: 
you live in a glass house. 

Still we are not at the end of our progress. The 
same Writer goes on: "Even the softer sex seemed to 
be inspired with the madness of the occasion. They 
were to be seen standing on heads of barrels, on the 
street railings, and wherever else they could find situ* 
ations a little more elevated, and secure, than the 
ground: and occasionally they mixed with the crowd, 
joined in the strife and acclamations, and encouraged 
their husbands, brothers, and lovers, by reproaches 
and pralseS; frowns and applauses, according as the 



36 Coventry Election. 

parties whose cause they favoured, were victorious or 
defeated." 

It seems, Sir, that although the free women oi Coventry 
are not voters, they esteem it no impropriety to appear 
at your elections; are seen standing on heads of bar' 
rels like the American orators, whom you mention- 
ed above; that they climb the street railings, and take 
other positions of the like delicate nature; that occasion- 
ally they mix with the crowd, join in the strife and ac- 
clamations, and encourage their husbands, brothers, 
and lovers, by reproaches and praises, frowns and ap- 
plauses. Certainly, Sir, you ought to have summoned 
a little prudence, if not a little truth to your aid before 
you put this unfortunate declaration upon your 
paper: 'Every free woman in America is a voter," 
No free woman in America ^'stands. Sir, on the head 
of a barrel; climbs a street railing; mixes with a 
drunken crowd, over the heads of which a bottle 
jnoves on in the air, until one less drunk than his 
neighbours grasps it, and gives it a determined direc^ 
lion towards his own throat; or, being disappointed, 
turns the stream into his face and bosom." Coventry, 
Sir, is one of your cities; not a frontier settlement in 
the wilds of America. It is the see of a Bishop. If 
these are the manners of it's citizens; if this is a Cov- 
entry election; if such is the conduct of the free wo- 
men in Coventry; what are we to suppose concerning 
those of your villages? 

The American free women do not seat themselves in 
their coaches, (for coaches really exist in this barbarous 
land, and free women sometimes ride in them,) and 
ride through the streets oi Philadelphia, New Y^ork, or 
Boston, to beg votes for a candidate, as did the Duch- 
ess of Devonshire throvgh the streets of Westmhi'- 



New Eno'land Elections. 37 



o 



ster to solicit thpm for the right honourable Charles J. 
Fox: nor, when solicitations fail, do they present their 
lily hands, much less their ruby lips to be kissed by 
a butcher; as did the same beautiful spouse of one of 
your prime Nobility. Really, Sir, you should not have 
meddled with this subject. Let me advise you, the 
next time you take up the employment of bespatter- 
ing the people of the United States^ to let their elec- 
tions, and their free women, alone. 

Permit me now to inform you in what manner elec- 
tions are conducted in New England: the part of the 
United States, with which 1 am best acquainted. On 
the morning of an election day the electors assemble 
either in a church, or a town house, in the centre of 
the township, of which they are inhabitants. 

The business of the day is sometimes introduced by 
a sermon, and very often by public prayer. A Mod- 
erator is chosen: the votes are given in with strict de- 
cency; without a single debate; without noise, or dis- 
order, or drink; and with not a little of the sobriety, 
seen in religious assemblies. The meeting is then dis- 
solved; the inhabitants retire quietly to their homes 
and have neither battles, nor disputes Pray, Sir, 
have you any such elections, as these? We have very 
many. Probably, all are not such: but we have no 
Coventry elections. Nor do I believe, that a sino-le 
woman, bond or free, ever appeared at an election 
in New England since the colonization of the country. 
It would be as much, as her character was worth. In- 
deed, Sir, you should not have meddled with this 
subject. 

But, lest you should think I am not warranted to 
rely on American testimony concerning British tran- 
sactions, I will present you with a few passages from 



38 British Elections. 

a writer of your own. In the 44th Letter of Espridla, 
you will find the following observations. 

^^Electioneering, as they call it, is a game at which 
every kind of deceit seems to be lawful. On these 
occasions men, who at other times regard it as a duty 
to speak truth, and think their honour implicated in 
their word, scruple not at asserting the gi'ossest and 
most impudent falsehoods, if thereby they can obtain 
a momentary advantage over the hostile party. A 
striking instance of this has occurred with respect to 
the election for Nottingham, a considerable town in 
the middle of England, where the contest has been 
violent, because party spirit has always been carried 
to a high degree there. Some years ago the mob 
ducked those who were most obnoxious to them, and 
killed some of them in the operation. This was not 
forgotten. The opposite party had the ascendancy 
now, and those who were noted as having been active 
in this outrageous cruelty were severely handled. In 
such cases of summary justice the innocent are liable 
to suffer with the guilty; and the rabble, when they 
had got the power, abused it. Whoever voted for the 
obnoxious candidate, had the skirts of his coat cut 
off, and it was well if he escaped without further 
injury." 

After reciting the false story, told by an advocate 
of the unsuccessful party, Espriclla styles it "a pious 
fraud to answer a party purpose," and observes, " On 
such occasions no frauds pious or impious are 
scrupledP 

Again, ^^Any thing like election in the plain sense 
of the word, is unknown in England. Some seats 
are private property; that is, the right of voting belongs 
to a few householders, sometimes not more than halV 



British Elcdiom. 39 

a dozen; and of course these voters are commanded 
by the owner of the estate. The fewer they are, the 
more easily they are managed. Great part of a bor- 
ough in the west of England was consumed some 
years ago by fire, and the lord of the manor would 
not suffer the houses to be rebuilt for this reason. It 
is not uncommon to see a seat in a certain house ad- 
vertised for in the public ne'wspapers. In this mart" 
ner area majority of the members returned^ 

"In other places, where the number of voters is 
something greater, so as to be too many for this kind 
of quiet and absolute controul, the business is more 
difficult, and sometimes more expensive. The candi- 
date then, instead of paying a settled sum to the lord 
of the borough, must deal individually with the con- 
stituents, who sell themselves to the highest bidder. 
Remember that an oath against bribery is required! 
A common mode of evading the letter oj the oat h, is 
to lay a wager. "I will bet so much," says the 
agent of the candidate, "that you do not vote for us." 
<'Done," says the voter freeman, — goes to the hustings, 
gives his voice, and returns to receive the money; not 
us the price of his suffrage^ but as the bet which he 
has won!! It is said, that at Aylesbury a punch bowl 
full of guineas stood upon the table, in the committee 
room, and the voters were helped out of it. The price 
of voters varies according to their numbers. In some 
places it is as low as forty shillings, in others, at Ilches- 
ier for instance, it is thirty pounds. A set of such 
constituents once waited upon the member whom they 
had chosen, to request that he would vote against the 
minister. "D — m you!" was his answer. "What! 
have not I bought you? And do you think that I will 
not sell you?" 



4# British Elections. 

"A great proportion of the inferiour voters are neces- 
sarily under the absolute controul of their employersj 
but there are always many, who are to be influenced 
by weighty arguments, applied to the palm of the 
hand; and the struggle for these, when the parties 
happen to be well balanced, leads to a thousand 
devices. The moment one party can lay hold on a 
voter of this description, they endeavour to keep him 
constantly drunk till the time of the election, and 
never to lose sight of him." 

"The qualification for voting differs at different 
places. At Bristol a freeman's daughter conveys it 
by marriage. Women enter into the heat of party 
even more eagerly than men, and when the mob is 
more than usually mischievous are sure to be at the 
head of it. In one election for that city, which was 
violently disputed, it was common for the same wo- 
man to marry several men. The mode of divorce 
was, that as soon as the ceremony was over, and the 
parties came out of church, they went into the church 
yard, and shaking hands over a grave, cried, Now 
"death us do part" — away then went the man to 
vote, with his new qualification, and the woman^ to 
qualify another husband at another church. 

"The house of Commons has not, and cannot have, 
its proportion oj talents. Its members are wholly 
chosen from among persons of great fortune. It is 
known both at schools and at universities, that the 
students of the privileged classes are generally remiss 
in their studies, and inferior in information, for that 
reason, to their contemporaries; there is therefore less 
chance for finding a due proportion of knowledge 
among them." 



British Elections. 41 

"There are two ways in which men of talents, who 
are not men of fortune, find their way into parlia- 
ment. The minister sometimes picks out a few prom- 
ising plants from the university, and forces them in his 
hotbed. They are chosen so young, that they can- 
not by any possibility have acquired information to 
fit them for their situations; they are so flattered by 
the choice, that they are puffed up with conceit, and 
so fettered by it, that they must be at the beck of their 
patron. The other method is byway of the law. But 
men, who make their way tip hy legal practice, learn 
in the course of that practice to disregard right and 
wrong, and to consider themselves entirely as pleaders 
on the one side. They continue to be pleaders, and 
partisans, in the legislature; and never become states- 
men."* 

After several very coarse, and false assertions con- 
cerning the lawyers, "who," you say, "principally 
compose the House of Representatives," you tell us 
the story of a rencounter between Mr. Griswold and 

* If JWr. Southey is the author of the Review of InchiquMs Letters, the 
passages, here quoted from Espriella, must cover his face with crimson. The 
Review is principally a comparison of British respectability with American base- 
ness and degradation. Yet here he informs us, that Englishmen regard all 
kinds of deceit as lawful in electioneering; that they scruple not at asserting 
the grossest and most impudent falsehoods; that at a JVottingham election the 
mob ducked some, and killed others; that on such occasions no frauds, pious or 
impious, are scrupled; that any thing like an election in the plain sense of the 
word is unknown in England; that a Majority of the Members of the House of 
Commons are returned by the most corrupt influence; that seats in that House 
are not uncommonly advertised in newspapers; tliat, although oaths are required 
of the voters, they are evaded by the grossest means; that votes are publicly 
bougiitand sold; and that the House of Commons has not, and cannot have, its 
proportion of talents. 

If these things are true; where is the country, whose elections in a comparison 
with those of England will not become white? What sober man must not suppose 
the author of these assertions to have been delirious, when attempting such a 
eomparisoH? 



4t Matthew Lyon, 

Matthew Lyon, This rencounter was disgraceful to 
our coujitry, and to the Congressional House of Rep- 
resentatives. It was supremely disgraceful to Lyon: 
but it was not disgiacfful to Mr, Griswold. This I 
could easily prove to you^ with all your prejudices 
against the United States. Air. Griswold is since 
dead. Few men possess superiour talents; and none 
more noble, honourable, or delicate sentiments, prob- 
ably in the world; and no man is more respectfully 
remembered by all, who knew him. The story, told 
with truth and justice, would be too long to be insert- 
ed here: it may perhaps be told hereafter. As it is 
exhibited in Aske''s travels, it is almost merely a col- 
lection of falsehoods. 

Lyon was an Irishman. It is not strange that an 
ill-bred man, who comes to this country, should bring 
with him his ill breeding. That this man was found 
m the list of National Representatives was owing to 
the same party spirit, which put Sir Francis Burdett 
into your House of Commons, a man in every respect 
more unfit for the place than Matthew Lyon. In- 
deed, you do not very often send us men, so respecta- 
ble, as Matthew Lyon; gross and brutal as was this 
outrage upon decency. 

You next attack us on the score oj Duels, One 
would think this subject ought not to have been men- 
tioned by a man, who himselj had so lately fought a 
duel with Lord Castlereagh, and had thus assumed, 
to the eye of God and of his own conscience, (if his 
conscience has an eye left,) the character, and the 
guilt, of a wilful murderer. You ought, Sir, to have 
remembered, that Mr. Pitt had very lately fought a 
duel with Mr. Tierney; that Mr. Fox, the other great 
man of your nation, fought a duel with Mr. Adam; 



English Duels. 4S 

and that the DvJce oj York fought another with Col. 
Ijenox When duels are fought by the most splendid 
Orators and Statesmen, of Great Britain; nay, at the 
side of your throne; and when those, who were par- 
ties in them, arc elevated to the stations of Embassa- 
dors and prime Ministers; is it strange that the exam- 
ple should be contagious? Is it not strange, that in the 
midst of these scenes of assassination, and infamy, a 
man should be found looking on, and himself a pri- 
mary Actor, who should yet turn his eye coolly off, to 
mark the stains of others. Look, Sir, at the rencoun- 
ter between Col. Montgomery and Capt. Mac Nama- 
ra: each of whom hazarded, and one of whom lost, 
his life, to finish a quarrel between two dogs. Look 
back. Sir, to the duel, fought by Mr. Anderson and 
Mr. Stephens, because the one insisted, that a window 
sash should be shoved up, and the other, that it should 
be pulled down. Look at the duel between Lord 
Cametford and Mr. Best, which issued in the death of 
the former, and which was produced by the intrigues 
of a prostitute, who had lived as the mistress of them 
both. I acknowledge all the guilt, and all the shame, 
which can attach to my countrymen from duels. 
Load them with as many imputations, as you please; 
and I will subjoin. Amen. At the same time. Sir, 
forget not those of yourself, your statesmen, and your 
princes: and let the brand be burnt equally deep on 
your own forehead, theirs, and ours. Until this is 
done, I think the pot ought to treat the kettle with 
rather more civility. 

In New England, before the year 1812, there were 
eight duels fought: one by two servants of the Plym- 
outh Company, within the first year after they landed; 
one by two West Indian youths, who were at school 



44 American Courts of Justice, 

in Stratford, in Connecticut; one by two officers of 
the American army in the State of Rhode Island: 
three by young men of Boston and the vicinity; one 
by an officer of the navy and a young man of Boston; 
and one by two citizens of New York, who crossed 
the line into Connecticut, in order to avoid the sen- 
tence of law in their own State. Thus in 192 years 
there have been but five duels fought in New England 
by its own inhabitants. Since the year 1812, it has 
been said, (whether truly or not I am ignorant,) that 
one or more duels were fouglit in the neighbourhood of 
New London, by some of the officers, or the Midship- 
men, of the frigates blocked up in the Thames. These, 
also, were strangers. Will Great Britain furnish you 
with an opportunity of telling the same story concern- 
ing any part of her territory? 

You next attack our Courts of Justice; and assert, 
that our judges are not independent of the Executive 
power. The assertion is partially just. In Connec- 
ticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and, I believe, in 
one or two of the Western States, the judges are de- 
pendent, not on the Executive, but the Legislature. 
So far as this defect extends, it is a very serious one; 
and is lamented by all the wise and good men of this 
country. In Connecticut, however, the injury, nat- 
urally derived from this source, has not been felt. 

The judges have been invariably elected until their 
death, or resignation, except in one or two cases of 
supposed, or real, misbehaviour; not, indeed, in their 
official character, but in some transactions aside from 
their professional business. 

In all the other States, the judges are independent; 
holding their offices during good behaviour, and being 
secured in their salaries while they continue in olllice^ 
The salaries, also, are generally ample. 



American Courts of Justice. 45 

The judges of the United States, (those^ to whom 
you evidently refer,) are appointed by the President 
and Senate, as you suppose; but their office is holden 
during good behaviour; and they cannot be removed 
from it, except by an impeachment, of which the 
House of Representatives are the authors, and a subse- 
quent condemnation by the Senate. Their "Salaries" 
also, "are adequate, and permanent, as contended for 
by Mr. Hamilton." They are, therefore, not "the 
creatures of the President and Senate." Your infor- 
mation concerning this subject has been erroneous, and 
your eloquence, lost. 

Generally, our Courts are both learned and upright. 
Some of them, I have no doubt, are defective in both 
particulars: and a very few of them, I believe to have 
been scandalously so. In the great body of them the 
Community confides without suspicion, as well as 
without complaint. 

Permit me to remind you, that your tribunals have 
not always been unstained. Look if you please at the 
trial of the seven Bishops; at the tribunal of the Star 
chamber; at the history of Jeffries. We shall not 
blush at the comparison. How long, Sir, did your 
nation struggle before its Judges were made indepen- 
dent? Porcupine had the same reason to complain of 
our Courts, as of yours. One of our Courts fined him 
5,000 dollars for a libel on Dr. Rush; yours, beside 
fining, imprisoned him for libelling your Government. 

That our Courts have at times done injustice, and 
that our legislatures have at times been oppressive in 
their laws, is certain. The treatment of the Quakers 
at Boston, and of tlie Witches at Danvers, cannot be 
vindicated: but if you will look back to the reigns of 
Cnarles If, and James 11, you will find more acts of 
7 



46 The Co}iveniicle Act. 

injustice done within a little period, than would be 
done by our Courts and Legislatures in a thousand 
years, if they were to sustain the same character, 
which they have sustained hitherto, and were to pur- 
sue similar conduct. You ejected, imprisoned, reduced 
to beggary, and banished, within a small part of this 
little period, more than two thousand nonconformist 
Ministers; many of them among the first ornaments 
of your nation; and that, after his Majesty had thus 
solemnly said, "We do declare a liberty to tender c5on- 
sciences, and that no man shall be disquieted, or called 
in question, for differences of opinion, which do not 
disturb the peace of the kingdom." 

What think you, Sir, of the conventicle Act? whrch 
enacted — that every person above sixteen years of 
age, present at any meeting under pretence of any ex- 
ercise of religion in other manner than is the practice 
of the church of England, where there are five persons 
more than the household, shall for the first offence 
by a Justice of the peace be recorded, and sent to gaol 
three months, till he pay five pounds; and, for the 
second offence six months, till he pay ten pounds; and 
the third time, being convicted by a jury, shall be ban- 
ished to some of the American plantations, excepting 
New England, or Virginia" The very people. Sir, 
who were banished by this Act, and by the preceding 
and succeeding furious measures of your Government, 
came to New England, and planted it at an immense 
expense of toil, treasure, and blood. At all times they 
allowed the most absolute toleration to the Episcopa- 
lians, the authors of all their sufferings; and, after they 
became independent, placed the Episcopalians, and all 
other classes of religious on the same foundation of 
absolute ecclesiastical liberty with themselves. Were 



Miranda and Copenhagen. 4-7 

such a tale, as this, to be found in your history; it 
would be boasted of by every Briton as the glory of 
his country; as you now boast of the toleration, actu- 
ally exercised by your Government. To tolerate, is, 
perhaps, all that you can do: happily, we can do more. 

"The justices of the peace," you say, "are not, as 
with us, respectable country gentlemen. No such 
character, in fact, is known in America.^^ We have 
no entailed estates in America; and no eldest sons, re- 
siding upon them, who inherit by law the whole land- 
ed property of their fathers: but v\^e have many gen- 
ilemen residing in our country towns, who are mag- 
istrates: men, as much superiour to your numerous 
list of fox hunters, who in your language are country 
gentlemen, and form a large part of your justices of 
the peaae, as these country gentlemen are to scaven- 
gers; superiour in intelligence, in knowledge of law, in 
morals, and in manners. Your country gentlemen 
have been so often described; and so many Americans 
have seen them in England; that we are not ignorant 
of their character, even on this side of the Atlantic. 
As to the scheme of obtaining this office, subjoined to 
the above quoted declaration; it has no existence, but 
in your own imagination. 

You mention with severity Mr. Jefferson^ s inter - 
ference in the business of Miranda. With my 
consent you may say what you please concerning 
Mr. Jefferson; and, when you have done, you may, 
also, set down by the side of Miranda, the expedition 
to Copenhagen; and ask a discreet Dane, which of 
them was the most dishonourable to human nature. 

You observe in the following page, that "for any of 
these callings, (Law, Physic, Surgery, and Divinity,) 
no preparatory course of study, no testimonial of com- 



48 Medical Insiitutions. 

petency, no kind of exanniination, no particular qualifi- 
cations, no diploma of license, are required." You 
should not have made these assertions, Sir, in this 
round manner, without better foundation. 

In most, and, I believe, in all the States, Lawyers 
are obliged to study, in some two, and in others three 
years, before they can be admitted to practice. They 
then undergo an examination. This I know to be 
strict in some States: and believe it to be so in others. 
There are two regular law schools in this country; and| 
the instruction, given in them, is given with a degree 
of ability, and skill, which would not discredit Eng- 
land itself. 

There are at least eight Medical Institutions, and if 
I mistake not, nine, in the Union; in which almost all 
the physicians are educated. The lectures, read in 
them, are given by learned and able men. 1 presume 
that they are inferiour to the similar Institutions of 
London and Edinbur g 1 Still they are useful, and 
honourable, to the country; as honourable, the date 
of our colonization being considered, as those of Great 
Britain are to her. No physician, so far as my in- 
formation extends, is empowered by law, except in 
two or three of the States, to collect his debts for Med- 
ical practice, unless he has been educated in one of 
these Institutions. 

Concerning the education of persons, destined for 
the Ministry, I shall make some observations hereafter. 

Wc will now, Sir, see the estimation, in which some 
of the lawyers of your own country are held, at least 
by one of your Nobility. In the house of Lords, 
June 17, 1794, Lord Abingdon said, "The reform I 
allude to is that of those locusts in the law, the petti- 
fogging attornies of this country; who, like the locusts 



English Lawyers. 4tf 

in 4frica, fall like a cloud upon the earth, and eat up 
every thing they meet with.*' Again, "1, as a member 
of this House, am led to invoke the aid, and to excite 
the endeavours, of your Lordships in assisting me to 
stop the progress of this growing evil; the evil of all 
others, perhaps the very only one in the State, most 
assuredly the most crying evil in the State, that calls 
for and requires reform." Again, "The greater, the 
higher, the richer, you are, the more prone are you to 
its consequences, and the surer of becoming sooner or 
later the victims of its all devouring avarice." Once 
more, '^Hic niger est, my Lords; but black as this qui 
iam gentleman is, and still blacker could I make him, 
he is not half so black as those rotten limbs of the 
law, who have aided and assisted him in this political 
conspiracy, conducted by pettifogging artifice." 

Had my Lord Abingdon lived in this country, \ 
am persuaded he would never have made, nor ever 
have found any reason to make, such lamentations as 
these. Lawyers in this country, whatever information 
you may have received concerning them, are an hon- 
ourable, and liberal-minded, class of men; and are 
considered by their countrymen as sustaining a very 
fair and unimpeachable character. Among them 
there are undoubtedly rogues; resembling those com- 
plained of by Lord Abingdon: generally they possess 
a fair reputation. 

You tell us a story concerning "a set of fellows, who 
got into Parkinson's garden, and began to pluck the 
fruit." This Parkinson, Sir, has told tlie world, pro- 
fessedly from Mr. Jefferson, that an acre oj wheat in 
Virginia, yields only two bushels and a half. Did 
you believe this story? If you did; you supposed that 
^ Virginian farmer ploughed an acre of land, and 



5d Peity Thefts. 

then sowed a bushel and a half of wheat, in order to 
gain another bushel. How long did you imagine, 
that this profitable agriculture could go on? You 
knew that this story was a lie; and that the man, who 
told a lie, in a case so palpable, would lie in every 
other case, where he found any inducement. Why 
did you quote from such an authority? 

That there are people in Baltimore^ and in other 
places, who would take fruit unlawfully, I have not a 
doubt. In a ountry, where fruit abounds as it does 
in this, and where it is often given away in large quan- 
tities; and, when it is not, is often, in large quantities 
also, made the food of swine; it is no unnatural thing 
for persons in humble life, unpossessed of nice moral 
feelings, or distinct apprehensions of what Morality 
demands, to suppose, that they may take fruit, to some 
extent, without any great offence. In England, where 
fruit is comparatively scarce, and both the law and the 
landholder hedge it about with great care, it may well 
be supposed, that such license would be less frequently 
permitted. At the same time, you hang a man for 
stealing thirteen pence halfpenny. We value life at a 
higher price; althoigh your laws have determined, thai; 
the life of an Englishman is worth only this sum. 

Still, thefts are far less common here than they are 
with you. The business of your Magistrates in pre- 
venting and punishing, what you call poaching, is more 
extensive than that of the whole criminal police of 
this country; and, unhappily, is the business of a part 
of your Clergymen, as well as of Lay magistrates. 

In speaking concerning the separation of Church 
and State, you say, "It is almost needless to add, that 
this divorce has been productive of a pretty numerous 



\ 



Fanaticism in England. 51 

crop of illegitimate* sects; all equally thriving under 
the salutary and fostering neglect of the parent State, 
To recount them would be endless. Presbyterians 
baptists, methodists, universalists, episcopalians* and 
congregational ists, quakers and moravians, dunkers 
and shakers; with a multitude of others, whose names 
it would be as unprofitable to enumerate, as it would 
be difficult to assign their characteristic differences of 
doctrine or disbelief; exhibit all together as satisfac- 
tory a view as can be desired, of the fanatical extrav- 
agancies, to which the bulk of mankind would be 
driven by the raptures of visionaries, or the arts of im- 
postors, or by the mere necessity, and craving, of the 
human mind for some intercourse with its Creator — 
in the absence of a national church and an establish- 
ed worship." 

Now, Sir, if you will please to look at the 29th of 
Esprielld's letters, you will find all these sects, declar- 
ed by one of your own countrymen to exist at the 
present time in England, and sixteen more; sixteen, I 
mean, beside those, which, to make out his list of 
forty-three specified, and the indefinite number, in- 
cluded under his ct ceteras, he has blended together 
with intentional inaccuracy. Yet in Great Britain 
the Church is not divorced from the State. Pray, Sir, 
whence came this numerous train of sectarians in your 
own country? Is it true, that the union of the Church 
with the State, and the separation of the Church from 
the State, produce exactly the same effects? This has 
not usually been the operation of opposite causes. 

To us, Sir, all these sects came from Great Britain. 
They are your own offspring. From you came to 

* Are Bpiscopaiians an illegitimate Sect;. 



r 

I 



52 Camp-meetings and Methodism, 

this country Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Uni- 
versalists, Episcopalians, and Congregationalists, Qua- 
kers, and Moravians, Dunkers, and Shakers, "together 
with a multitude of others, whose names it would be 
unprofitable to enumerate." 

The Camp-meetings, of which you make such elo-* 
quent mention, are derived from Great Britain. I'he 
very Bishops of Methodism, whom you sent over to 
this country, the travelling ministers, who came from 
England, have given birth to these shameful extrava- 
gancies: and these extravagancies, notwithstanding 
their public, solemn declarations to the contrary, are, 
with the highest probability, secretly cherished and 
supported by the leading Methodists in Great Britain. 
Here, by the great body of sober men, they are held 
in contempt and abhorrence. But they have been 
means of indulging the spirit of propagandism; and 
have actually contributed to swell the muster-roll of 
Methodism, by adding to it, annufilly, a considerable 
number of miserable wretches, easily made victims 
through their profound ignorance, the dictates of a 
vivid imagination, and ardent feelings, to the vocife- 
ration, and anathemas, of their itinerant exhorters. I 
doubt not, that the sober and virtuous men of this 
class, (for such, it is fairly presumed, there are,) really 
disapprove of these excesses; and are reluctantly in- 
duced to wink at them, from the mere spirit of propa- 
gandism: a spirit, which, when once imbibed, is tod 
powerful to be resisted by any ordinary human 
virtue. 

The real effect of what you are pleased to call the 
divorce of Church and State in this country, is to 
make all men feel, that they possess the same religious 
ri<^hts; to induce them from this consideration to feel 



Joanna Southcot. S3 

the same interest in the prosperity of the government 
which equally protects them all; and to live quietly 
and pleasantly by the side of each other. 

Please now, Sir, to turn for a moment to the letters 
o{ Espriella; and cast your eye over the story of 
John Wright and William Bryan, and their visit to 
the prophets of Avignon. Thence proceed through 
the story of Richard Brothers, and of Mr. Halhed, a 
member of your Parliament, and a man of no despi- 
cable talents, a convert to the phrenzy of Brothers. 
Thence proceed to the next chapter; in which you 
will find the story of Joanna Southcot: and then say 
whether you believe, that any country, even the 
United States, ever produced specimens of religious 
delirium, equal to these. Remember, that among her 
early believers were three clergymen; one of them a 
man of fashion, fortune, and noble family: not dis- 
senting Ministers; not Presbyterian Clergymen: but 
Clergymen of your own Church. Did you recollect, 
Sir, when the Review, which is the subject of these 
strictures, was written, and particularly the paragraphs 
immediately under consideration, that Joanna South- 
cot was an English woman, that her rude, vulgar 
rhapsodies; "//le vilest string of words, in the vilest 
doggerel verse; which has no other connection than 
what the vilest rhymes have suggested;^^ were believed 
by several thousand persons, besides these Clergymen; 
that She was believed to be commissioned "to destroy 
the devil," and "was ordered to set down all his blas- 
phemies, and show to the world what the language of 
hell is;" that she announced herself to be the female 
Redeemer of mankind; a bone from Christ, the 
second Adam; the Bride of the Apocalypse; the 
promised Seed, who is to bruise the serpent's head; 
8 



54 Education for the Minisfry. 

that she disputed with the devil, and wrote down the 
conversation; and that she seals those, who in the 
Apocalypse are styled the hundred and forty four 
thousand servants of God. If you did recollect these 
facts, could you fail of subscribing the following de- 
claration of Espriella? "We must acknowledge, that 
there never was any age, or any country^ so favoura- 
ble to the success of imposture, or the growth of su- 
pei'stition, as this very age, and this very En^ landP 

I promised to take some notice of ihe Educatioiiy 
in this country^ of persons, intended for the Ministry 
of the Gospel. You say, that "the office of Judge in 
the supreme and district courts, is conferred upon per- 
sons, who have not gone through any previous dis- 
dipline, or practice, to qualify them for discharging it; 
and that the same holds good with regard to those, 
who are destined to be lawyers, physicians, surgeons, 
and teachers of ihe divine 'word. For all or any of 
these callings,'''' you say, "no preparatory course of 
study, no testimonial of competency, no kind of exam- 
ination, no particular qualifications, no diploma, or 
license, are required?^ 

The justice of these declarations I will now exam- 
ine. All the students in our colleges, unless some of 
the new ones are excepted, and some, I know not 
how many, in the Southern States, are taught Theol- 
ogy in form as a science. In addition to this, every 
individual, admitted to a license in the Congregational 
and Presbyterian Churches, and, 1 presume, in the 
Episcopalian also, studies Theology professionally; 
either with a Professor of Divinity, or with some Cler- 
gyman of reputation. At the termination of these 
studies, the candidate for a license, in the two former 
Churches, is regularly examined, before he can receive 



Theological Institutions. dS 

it, by an Association of Ministers, or a Presbytery, 
until the examiners are satisfied of his competency, 
and, let me add, of his piety also. This has been the 
state of things with respect to this subject from the 
first colonization of JS'ew England. When he be- 
comes a candidate fur ordination, he is examined 
again, in both respects, in the same manner; and usu- 
ally by another Presbytery, or Association. There is, 
however, one exception. A body of divines, how 
numerous I am ignorant, but small in proportion to 
that, whose conduct has been here described, does not, 
as I am informed, usually insist on such examinations. 
These are chiefly found on the eastern shores of New 
England. But these, and all others, require the study, 
and ample testimonials of the competency and gene- 
ral character of the candidate: and a diploma is almost 
absolutely indispensable. 

Thus, Sir, this business was established from the be- 
ginning. In modern times four Theological Semina- 
ries have been founded in this country: one at Ando- 
ver in Massachusetts, by Congregationalists; one in 
New York, by the Associate Scotch Reformed; one 
at New Brunswick in New Jersey, by the Dutch 
Church; a nd one at Princeton, in New Jersey also, by 
the Presbyterian Church. At Andover, students are 
never admitted, except in extraordinary cases, unless 
they have been liberally educated; nor without certi- 
ficates of an irreproachable character; nor without a 
formal examination. 

After admission they are placed under the tuition 
of three Professors; of Theology, of Sacred Litera- 
ture, and of Sacred Rhetoric. Their term of study is 
three years. In each of these years they are public- 
ly, and critically examined. Then, in order to obtain 



56 Education for the Ministry in England. 

a license, and afterwards, to be admitted to ordina- 
tion, they must in each case pass through the Asso- 
ciational, or Presbyterial examination, mentioned 
above. What is true of the Seminary at Andover, is 
believed to be true, substantially, of all the other Insti- 
tutions of this nature. 

I ought to add, that the foundation of a Theologi- 
cal Seminary is begun in the city of New York, for 
the professional education of young men destined to 
the Ministry in the Episcopal Church. 

Now let me request you to look back to the para- 
graph, which has occasioned these remarks; and to 
ask, What am I, and what is the World, to think of 
the assertions, which you have made; assertions, with- 
out any foundation in truth, and without any appear- 
ance of decency. I think you yourself cannot but 
admit, that they are rash and unhappy. Of the same 
nature are very many of the other declarations, which 
are contained in the review of Inchiquin's Letters. 

We will now, if you please, turn our attention to 
the manner, in which young men are educated Jor the 
Evangelical Ministry in Englandy and in your own 
Church. 

In the Christian Observer for November 1811, is a 
Review of "The state of the Established Church, in a 
Series of Letters to the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, 
Chancellor of the Exchequer," &c. As I have not 
the Letters, I shall take my quotations and references 
out of the Review, and such parts of the Letters as are 
transcribed. 

On the state of your Universities, the author makes 
the following statements. "I believe, Sir, you cannot 
be ignorant of the manner, in which those systems 
are carried into effect, or rather are neglected; that 



Education for the Ministry in England. Sf 

the example of too many among the preceptors, and 
the looseness of conduct suffered among the students, 
prove how widely our colleges have departed from 
the intentions of the founders; so that, instead oj re- 
ligion, they too often confer habits, and opinions, de- 
structive to the individuals, and baneful to ihose^ 
whose eternal happiness is hereafter to be entrusted to 
persons, so little qualified, or accustomed, to appre- 
ciate their own." p. 1. 

Again. " There are more vice and profligacy coun- 
tenanced at our universities, where a direct and obvi- 
ous check exists, than would be suffered to take place 
among its members afterwards, when they arrive ai 
situations in life, which present no positive restraints; 
and the scenes of riot and debauchery, which pass un- 
noticed (or at least are ineffectually noticed) by those, 
who cannot be ignorant of them, would, in this me- 
tropolis, subject the perpetrators to the correction of 
the police." p. 20. 

The Christian Observer proceeds, "Religion the au- 
thor conceives to be equally neglected." 'Christianity 
forms little or no part in the regular plan of instruc- 
tion. Contrary to our experience in every other pro- 
fession, candidates for our Ministry are taught every 
branch of science, but that in which they are to prac- 
tice. Chapel is not attended till it is half over. Ma- 
ny go there intoxicated as to a kind of roll call: and 
though the assumption of the Lord's supper is per- 
emptory upon the students, no care is taken to teach 
them its impoiiance" &c. p. 22. 

Letter III opens with similar statements in respect 
to examination for orders. "Our future clergyman, 
having taken his degree, (to which the principles of 
religion form at Cambridge no step whatever, and a4 



58 Candidates for Orders in the Church. 

Oxford a very trifling one,) and having, often by Eu^ 
did alone, attained that object, announces himself a 
candidate for holy orders." Then "so very lax has 
become the examination for orders, that there is no 
man, who has taken a degree at the university, who 
cannot reckon on ordination as a certainty, whatever 
his attainments in learning, morals, or religion, 
&c." — "Speaking generally, I believe the only qualify 
cations are to construe a chapter in the Greek Testa* 
ment, and answer a few questions out of Grotius." A 
specimen of these answers is then given in the answer 
of a young man to the question, Who was the Medi- 
ator between God and man? Answer. ^' The Arch- 
bishop of Canterbury.^' pp. 24 — 26. Speaking of the 
difficulties, he w^ould, on the contrary, oppose to the 
attainment of orders, he says, "I shall, perhaps, be an- 
swered, 'How hard to throw a young man back upon 
the world! that school learning is not of so much con- 
sequence, as the moral character of a minister, &c." " 
To which he replies 1st. by hoping, that, if a change 
in the mode of examination were once known, 
candidates would come as well prepared for the lat- 
ter, as now unprepared for the former; and that, 
2dly, it is actually "the want of attention to moral 
character, which is at present most to be deplored, and 
which he could wish to see commence even before the 
time of ordination, &c." I'his cursory wish, with a 
single page in Letter X, is the whole of the remedy, 
our writer has to propose for the cure of such nume- 
rous, inveterate, and complicated disorders. '^The first 
step to a reform in the church establishment," he tells 
us, "should be an entire and total revision of the sys- 
tem of our universities. A knowledge and rigid prac- 
tice of the duties of religion should be rendered indis- 



Examination for Holy Orders. 59 

pensable. Vice should be not only checked, hut made 
after a certain limit a positive obstacle to ordination. 
A preparation^ and examination for orders shoidd be 
a part of the collegiate system, not lefl to Bishope, or 
their chaplains; decent attendance on the church ser- 
vice prescribed; and young men, intended for the 
church, should declare such intention on their admis- 
sion to the university." pp. 123 — 126. 

You will please to remark, Sir, this account is 
substantially admitted by the Editors of the Christian 
Observer. For they say "We might have stirred to 
jealousy our English universities by a close compari- 
son of the youth, there under tuition for holy oiders, 
w^ith those in foreign establishments. We might have 
referred our venerable pastors to that, which is daily 
asserted without contradiction, the incomparably great- 
er learning, both literary, and more especially theo- 
logical, to be found in the youth of our sister ministry 
in Scotland to that, found amongst our own. Tlicir 
eyes might have been ditected nearer home to instan- 
ces of religious education, successfully conducted even 
in this our own land amongst a class, whom it is alike 
its own misfortune, and ours, that we must consider 
as in rivalry with ourselves; and they might have been 
intreated to consider what ground has been offered for 
others to assert that even a large majority of regular- 
ly educated dissenting ministers are better versed in 
the common places of theology, and tiiat knowledge 
of their Bible, on which as a science it rests, than even 
a small minority of our rising ministry. Our address 
would then have humbly, but practically, suggested it 
to the conscience of each authorized instructor of 
youth, or superintendant of the church, how far the 
wished-for rckirm be not dependent, within its own 



60 Examination for Holy Orders. 

sphere, wholly and solely upon himself. We should 
have advised no waiting here for general regulations, 
for legislative innovations, or metropolitan societies 
for the education of the clergy on Dr. Bell's plan, to 
be simultaneously adopted throughout the kingdom. 
The change, we should have hinted, as in our minds 
the only practicable one, would be the private, and 
perhaps unperceived change, which each collegiate, or 
episcopal dignitary should at the very next recurrence 
of public examination think himself bound in duty to 
adopt in regard to his own charge. We should press 
upon them (with all due deference to an authority, 
whose difficulties can only be understood from its ex- 
ercise) the shameful instances of abuse in these rC' 
spectSy which we ai^e constrained to fear, are often 
Jcnown to slip by those, who observe, and who might 
prevent, them, but do it not. Upon the heads or tutors 
of colleges, or professors, might be urged the immense 
advantage, they respectively possess, for impressing on 
the minds of their pupils the nature of that holy office, 
into which many are to pass from their hands. And 
even on the most venerable order itself might be urged 
its own absolute and uncontroulable power, for repel- 
ling any, (if they please without a reason) who shall 
dare to approach them uninformed, unqualified for the 
sacred office, with lips untouched by the flame of holy 
zeal, or censers unhallowed, to bear incense in the 
house of the Lord. Some living example, to this ef- 
fect, and some who live but in grateful recollection, 
might have been cited, whose salutary exertions still 
rescue episcopal examination from absolute contempt. 
And finally, we should have pointed to that great day 
"when the Chief Shepherd shall appear," and asked, if 
any temporal ease, or temporary applause for crimiiv 



Examination Jor Holy Orders. 61 

al levity, in the discharge of their important duties 
would be well purchased by a burdened conscience in 
the recollection of past negligence, or by a single frown 
from His countenance, before whom "the heavens and 
the earth will flee away, and there will be found no 
place for them." 

Nor, as it would seem, is thi^ deplorable state of ed- 
ucation for the Ministry in your Church any thing 
new. '■'By reason whereof," says Hooker, that is, "the 
rash and careless ordaining of every one, that hath but 
a friend to bestow some two or three words of ordi- 
nary commendation in his behalf; the church groweth 
burdened with silly creatures more than need; whose 
noted baseness and insufficiency bringeth their very 
order itself into contempt." 

"Our Ember weeks," says Bishop Burnet, "are the 
burden and grief of my life. The much greater part 
of those, who come to be ordained, are ignorant to a 
degree, not to be apprehended by tose, who are not 
obliged to know it. The easiest part of knowl- 
edge is that, to which they are the greatest strangers; 
I mean the plainest parts of the Scriptures, which, 
they say in excuse for their ignorance, that their tutors 
in the universities never mentioned the reading of to 
them; so that they can give no account, or at least a 
very imperfect one, of the contents even of the Gos- 
pel. Those, who have read some books, yet never 
seem to have read the Scriptures. Many cannot give 
a tolerable account even of the Catechism itself, how 
short and plain soever. They cry, and think it a sad 
disgrace to be denied orders, though the ignorance of 
some is such, that in a well regulated state of things 
they would appear not knowing enough to be admitted 

to the holy sacrament.'^ 
9 



@S Candidates for Holy Orders. 

I hope, Sir, that when you and your brother joui'- 
nalists shall have read these statements, we shall hear no 
more of the want of education, or of examinations, or 
of diplomas, or of testimonials of competency, or of 
any other qualifications, in the young men, destin- 
ed to the Ministry in this country. I presume you 
have not read them hitherto, if you have, your attack 
upon us is as shameless, as it is unfounded. 

That you may not suppose me to place an undue 
reliance on these testimonies, respectable as they are, I 
will point you to one or two others. In the 46th 
Letter of Bsprklla^ you may find the following de- 
clarations. "There is to be found every where a great 
number of those persons, whom we cannot prove to 
be human beings, by any rational characteristic which 
they possess, but who must be admitted to be so by a 
sort of reductio ad absurdum, because they cannot 
possibly be any thing else. They pass for men in the 
world, because it has pleased God for wise purposes, 
however inscrutable to us, to set them upon two legs, 
instead of four; to give them smooth skins, and 
no tail; and to enable them to speak without having 
their tongues slit. I'hey are like those weeds which will 
spring up, and thrive in every soil, and every climate; 
and which no favourable circumstance can improve 
into utility. It is of little consequence whether they 
shoot water fow\,aitend horse races, frequent the broth' 
el, and encourage the 'wine trade, in one place, or anoth- 
er; but as a few years of this kind of life usually sat- 
isfy a man for the rest of it, it is convenient that 
there should be a place appointed, where one of this 
description can pass through his course of studies out of 
sight of his relations, and without injur ing his character, 
and from whence he can come with the advantage of 



Non- Residence of the English Clergy. 63 

having been at the University, and a qualification, 
which enables him to undertake the cure of souls. 
The heretical bishops 7iever inquire into the moral 
conduct of those, upon whomihey lay their unhallo<wed 
hands: and as for the quantity ^learning, ^which is 
required, Mr. Maillardet^ who exhibits his Androeides 
in London, could put enough into an automaton." 

As these letters are believed to have been written by 
one of the gentlemen, who write in the Quarterly Re- 
view; the testimony, which he gives on this subject, 
will be readily admitted by you. But what must be 
the men; what, particularly, the Clergymen; who mer- 
it this character; and who, secluded from the world, 
and "out of sight of their relations" spend their time, 
without injuring their character, in shooting water 
fowl, attending horse races, frequenting the broth- 
el, and encouraging the wine trade?" And what 
must be "the quantity of learning, which is required 
to qualify them for ordination, when MaillardetcouM 
put as much into an automaton?" And what must be 
the Bishops, who never inquire into the moral eon- 
duct of those, upon whom they lay their hands? 

On Monday, June 18, 1810, the Earl of Harrowhy 
delivered a speech in the House of Lords upon a 
clause in the Appropriation act for granting the sum of 
100,000 pounds for the relief of the poorer Clergy. In 
this speech is presented to the public an extensive, mi- 
nute, and very melancholy view of the state of your 
parishes. Among the different painful exhibitions, 
made by his Lordship of this subject, that of the non- 
residence of your Clergy is I think the most painful. 
He informs us, that of incumbents, in eleven thousand 
one hundred and sixty- four benefices and dignities, 
there were onjy five thousand and forty legally or 



04 Non-Residence of the EnglM Clergy, 

virtually resident; and of course there were six thou- 
sand one hundred and twenty-four livings, on which 
the incumbents did not reside. In this land of barba- 
rism, and blunders, it is difficult to avoid asking, 
Where were tiitse six thousand one hundred and 
twenty-four Ministers of the Gospel? Every one of 
thrm declared, antecedently to his entrance into holy 
orders, that he verily believed himself moved by the 
Holy Ghost to assume the sacred office. For what 
did these men believe the Holy Ghost moved them to 
take upon themsJvts the Evangelical Ministry? Was 
it to assume the office, and forget its duties; profess- 
edly to take the charge of the flock, and then leave 
them to "strangers, who care not for them;'' to gain a 
right to the living, without performing the service to 
which it is annexed; to spend their life in pleasure, 
and leave the souls of their congregation to perish? 

The true reasons for this shameless violation of all 
their vows, this prostitution of their office, this aban- 
donment of their duty, are, I strongly suspect, found 
in the following passage, in the Review of the Letters 
to Mr. Perceval, 

"We presume to propose a similar style of address 
to the Clergy at large, upon the subject of another 
leading complaint, urged in this pamphlet — against 
their negligent discharge of the pastoral duties. But 
let us first hear, and offer a few remarks upon the lan- 
guage of this complaint iiself. ''A great proportion of 
our Clergy," he tells us, "are a set of men, wrapt up 
in secular pursuits, with a total indifference to the 
spiritual duties oj their calling. Many of them seem 
to consider, that they are appointed to a life of sloth 
and inactivity, or merely to feed upon the fat of the 
land; and t]iat in return for immense and growing 



Non- Residence of the English Clergy. 65 

revenues thet/ have only to gabble through a few for- 
mal offices,^ &c. Many exceptions indeed he speaks 
of, and congratulates us on the learning and piety of 
many in the higher offices of the church. '^But for 
all this I fear a great proportion of the Clergy are the 
very reverse of these high examples — and betray an 
indifference of conduct, and dissoluteness of manners, 
which, whilst it is most shameful to them, would not 
he home with in any other state of lifeJ^ He then 
talks olHhe reverend associates, and abettors, of pub- 
lic corruption and profligacy, walking about our 
streets, unsitenced, and unchastised. A horse race, a 
fox chase, or a boxing match, is never without its rev- 
erend attendants; and the man, who in the house of 
God hurries over the offices of devotion, as beneath 
his attention, will be seen the next day the noisy toast- 
master, or songster, of a club" "Their professional 
indolence, but one degree removed from positive misr 
conduct," he next contrasts with ^^their occasional ac- 
tivity at a county election in a cathedral county town. 
You have the honour of finding yourself in such con- 
tests acting in concert with deans, chancellors, arch- 
deacons, prebendaries, and minor-canons without 
number. On such occasions grave, very grave, per- 
sons are to be seen, shouting the chorus of some elec- 
tion ribaldry, whose zeal, or even common industry, 
upon more important topics he had never witness- 
ed."" pp 37—40. 

After attributing the success of the dissenters to 
the luke-warmness of the established clergy, our wri- 
ter proceeds, in page §0, to state ^'the great abuse of 
single duty — some-times only every other Sunday;" 
which he declares to be the case in as great a propor- 
tion of livings abovcy as below, ii\e hundred pounds 



66 Neglect of Duty by the English Clergy. 

per annum. Advertisements to this effect he men- 
tions, though perfectly irregular, yet as appearing in 
the very face of the diocesan, &c." "Of the manner, 
and the time, also, in which single duty is perfoiYned, 
it is equally necessary to speak; often at ten, some- 
times at nine, in the morning; leaving all the rest of 
the day to revelling and drunkenness, or, what is more 
common now, to the itinerant enthusiast. And as to 
manner; A clergyman, who gallops to the churchy 
gallops through the service, and gallops away 
again, is generally too unique in his ideas to con- 
form to others, though sworn to obey them; and has 
of course a liturgy and a rubric of his own. The 
Decalogue is hurried over in the desk with as little 
ceremony, as the detail ej a fox chase. And in many 
parishes the whole morning service does not (includ- 
ing the sermon) occupy three quarters of an hour. 
The infrequency of the sacrament is likewise alluded 
to, and the excuse justly reprobated, that there are no 
communicants, which only implies a further neglect 
in the clergyman — also the neglect of catechizing con- 
trary to "the Methodists." There a great part of the 
Sabbath is set apart for the instruction of children in 
their particular tenets. And often, while the parish 
priest is lolling on his sofa, after the imaginary fa- 
tigues of his unusual exertions, under his very nose 
are these intruders zealously undermining the estab- 
lishment, which gives him bread." Original compo- 
sition, it is next observed, is scarcely known among 
them; and even their selections are represented as in- 
judicious, and so often repeated, as to be quite famil- 
iar to the audience. And finally, "pastoral visits are 
not only greatly neglected, or wholly discontinued, 
but even their obligation is denied; and the clergy are 



Neglect of Duty by the English Clergy. 07 

convinced that the duties of hospitality, and of domes- 
tic instruction and consolation to the young, the de- 
praved, the decrepid, and the dying, form no part of the 
demands which their parishioners have upon them." 
pp. 68 — 70. To all which the state of the London 
clergy is represented as affording a faint, though lau- 
dable exception." p. 74, &g. 

Now, Sir, when "the principles of religion form, at 
Cambridge no step whatever, and, at Oxford, a very 
trifling one, to a degree;" when the student has "often 
by Euclid alone attained that object, and become a 
candidate for holy orders;" when *'so very lax has 
become the examination for orders, that there is no 
man, who has taken a degree at the university, who 
cannot reckon on ordination as a certainty, whatever 
his attainments in learning, morals, or religion;" when 
"the only qualifications are to be able to construe a 
chapter in the Greek Testament, and answer a few 
questions out of Grotius;^' when one of these young 
men to the question, "Who was the Mediator be- 
tween God and man?" answered ^^ The Archbishop of 
Canterbury ;^^ what must be the future character of 
the Clergy, thus inducted into their sacred office? 
Must not "a great proportion of them be, as asserted 
by this Letter- writer, "a set of men, wrapt up in secu- 
lar pursuits, with a total indifference to the spiritual 
duties of their calling?" Is it strange, that "many of 
them seem to consider that they are appointed to a 
life of sloth and inactivity, or merely to feed upon the 
fat of the land; and that in return for immense and 
growing revenues they have only to gabble through a 
few formal offices? Can v/e be surprised that the rev- 
erend associates, and abettors, of public corruption 
and profligacy walji about your streets, unsilenced 



68 Neglect of Duty by the English Clergy, 

and uncbastised; that a horse race, a fox chase, or a 
boxing match," which I supjDose are in the list of 
clerical amusements in Great Britain, *'is never with- 
out its reverend attendants, and that the man, who in 
the house of God hurries over the offices of devotion, 
us beneath his attention, will be seen the next day, 
the noisy toast-master, or songster of a clubV^ Are we 
to be astonished, when we consider Hheir professional 
indolence, but one degree removed from positive mis* 
conduct, as a contrast to their occasional activity at a 
county election in a cathedral county town; or that in 
such contests i/oie have the honour of Jinding yourself 
acting in concert with deans, ehancellors, archdea- 
conSy prebendaries and minor-canons without num- 
ber; or that on such occasions grave, very grave, 
persons are to be seen, shouting the chorus of some 
election ribafdry?^^ 

Can you, Sir, can any Englishman, wonder, that, 
when such is the manner of induction into the sacred 
office, ^'single duty should be sometimes performed on- 
ly every other Sunday, at ten, or even at nine, in the 
morning, leaving all the rest of the day to revelling and 
drunkenness; or that a Clergyman, «i:£;/to gallops to the 
church, gallops through the service, and gallops away 
again; that he has a liturgy and rubric of his own; 
that the Decalogue is hurried over in the desk with 
as little ceremony as the detail of a fox chase; that in 
many parishes the whole morning service does not 
(including the sermon) occupy three quarters of an 
hour; that the sacrament should be unfrequently ad- 
ministered, and that it should be alleged, as an excuse, 
that there are no communicants; or that original 
composition is scarcely known among these Minis- 
ters; that even their selections are injudicious, and 30 



Neglect of Duty by the English Clergy. 69 

often repeated, as to be quite familiar to the audience; 
or that pastoral visits should not only be greatly neg- 
lected, or wholly discontinued, but even their obliga- 
tion be denied; or that the Clergy should be convin- 
ced, that the duties of hospitality and of domestic in- 
struction and consolation to the young, the depraved, 
the decrepid, and the dying, form no part of the de- 
mand, which their parishioners have upon them?" 

To these remarks, the Letter- writer mentions the 
London Clergy as affording a faint, though laudable 
exception. Is it, then, true, Sir, that the London 
Clergy furnish the only exception, found in any con- 
siderable body of your ministers, to such a story as 
this? And is that only exception a faint one? What 
man. Sir, besides a Reviewer, and he, sheltered under 
his anonymous character, could ever be induced, with 
this picture of the Clergy in his own country before 
him, to attack, or even to censure, those of any other 
country? Where is the country, of which this story 
could be truly told a second time? 

With these things in view, the account of Lord Har- 
rowby, in itself apparently surpassing all belief, is easily 
explained. It ceases to be a matter of astonishment, 
that many of your Clergy should be non-residents. 
We should not, indeed, suspect, nor without the most 
authentic and decisive information believe, that the 
number of unprincipled Clergymen, so forcibly char- 
acterized by the Letter-writer, could, out of eleven 
thousand one hundred and sixty-four, be six thousand 
one hundred and twenty-four. The fact is wonderful. 
The number of instances, to which it is extended, is 
poi tentous. Most ardently must every good man wish, 
that it may be rapidly diminished. 
10 



7^ Merchants of the United States. 

In answer to all these observations you may possi- 
sibly ask how great a proportion of Ministers are non- 
residents in the United States. In New England 
there is not one: there never was one: and, so far as 
my knowledge extends, there is not one in any part of 
the American Union. I speak of regular and settled 
Ministers, and not of Methodists, and other wander- 
ing preachers, professedly unsettled. Our Ministers, 
also, perform all the duties, which the Letter-writer 
complains of, as being neglected by yours. They 
preach sermons, composed by themselves, twice every 
Sabbath. They are not guilty of what the Christian 
Observer calls ^'that very pernicious ministerial de- 
linquency; preaching habitually other compositions 
than their own.^' " This practice" says the able Re- 
viewer of the Letters above mentioned, ^'fraught with 
every deadening principle, and whose only excuse is 
that which intimates a man to be no credit to his prO' 
fission, is, we verily think, the only means, by which 
the last degree oj ignoi^ance and insensibility can he 
made compatible with the sacred office.''^ I'his prac- 
tice, Sir, would ruin any man, who appeared in the 
desk, and has neither credit, nor place, here. 

''•The Merchants of the United States, with the ex- 
ception of New England," you say, "are a very dif- 
ferent class of men from those, who follow that pro- 
fession in Europe." As a Yankee, I might fairly ex- 
cuse myself from paying any attention to this subject; 
and leave it to the merchants in the other parts of the 
Union to defend themselves. I will, however, make 
a few observations concerning this professedly superi- 
our character of your merchants. 

Liverpool, the second trading town in England, 
has derived a great part of its wealth, and even of its 



English Mcrchanie. "71 

existence, from the most abominable of all traffic; that 
which is charged upon Babylon, in the Apocalypse, as 
one of its tremendous crimes; dealing "in slaves, and 
the souls of 7nen.'' You will perhaps sa}^, and may 
undoubtedly say with truth, that the Americans have 
been guilty of the same traffic. But, Sir, this traffic 
has here been confined to a few spots, and a very few 
hands; and, since we have had power to punish it, to 
such hands only as the diligence of law could not 
seize: an evil, which will certainly create no surprise 
in a country, where smuggling is so extensively carri- 
ed on, as in Great Britain. Your little finger has 
been thicker than our loins. Such has been the fact 
from the date of our independence. 

Of the trade, which about the year 1810 you carri- 
ed on with France, your own writers declare,* that 
^Ht was carried on by means avowedly fraudulent; 
with false oaths and forged certificates; and diffus- 
ed profligacy and corruption through the different 
ranks of the mercantile world; that those employed 
in it, were a various and motley race of men, possess- 
ing, many of them, a strange ubiquity of cliaracter; 
were Jews and Gentiles; traders who were at once 
Englishmen and Americans; transforming themselves 
into every imaginable shape, as the occasion might re- 
quire.^' They say, "this comnnerce was carried on 
through the medium of false custom-house entries, or 
declarations, made either by the merchants, or those 
employed by them.^^ "Many of the captains, employ- 
ed by your merchants," they say, "were placed in tlie 
unhappy predicament of being obliged to substantiate, 
by oath, any false declaration^ which had been previa 

* Qiristian Observer. 



7^ English Merchants. 

oiisly made concerning the subject of commerce.'* 
They also say, that the practice of using false papers, 
at sea, was another subject for animadversion: and 
one of your writers says, he had heard, that "a manu' 
factory of these documents was carried on to a prodi- 
gious extent by certain individuals, who were well 
skilled in the art of forging them.^'' He subjoins, 
"there are a thousand other frauds, subterfuges, and 
contrivances, by which commercial objects are pursu- 
ed in these unhappy days of the mutual prohibition of 
traffic among nations. Property, it is pleaded, must 
be covered. He, that pushes British manufactures 
into the Continent, is called a benefactor to his coun- 
try; but there is a whole mystery of iniquity which 
involves many of these transactions; and few, as I 
fear, among our fm^eign merchants, are now able to 
say, that they "have the testimony of their con- 
sciences, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, they 
have their conversation in the world."" 

Circumstanced as this subject is, it will be sufficient 
to have made these observations. What would have 
been its appearance, had you traced its serpentine 
progress, through all the various windings, with the 
same spirit, with which you have attacked the people 
of the United States? 

From your coHection of travellers, you then proceed 
to give an account of the Morals, and Manners, of 
the inhabitants of this country. Your first complaint 
is of our Landjobbcrs. In behalf of these men, I have 
little to say; and concerning most of them entertain 
an opinion, as unfavourable as yours. The number 
of them is inconsiderable. Some of them are proba- 
bly, indeed 1 know some of them to be, men of irre- 
proachable characters. Others are rogues: and your 



Manners in the Uniled Slates. 73 

countrymen, as well as mine, have suffered severely 
from their frauds. Both have, therefore, a right to 
complain, without any animadversion from me. At 
the same time you have no lands fdv sale, by the pur- 
chase of which men can become landjobbers; and, 
therefore, are on this score sate from any censure. 
But, Sir, from this inconsiderable number of men, 
amounting probably to less than five hundred in the 
United States, you ought not to have taken the char- 
acter of a nation. 

You then inform us, that "the moment a foreigner 
sets his foot on the quay, he is surrounded by a set of 
idlers, who very familiarly ask him a thousand ques- 
tions," of which you give us a string sufficiently long. 
Permit me to inform you, Sir, that if you believe this 
tale of a cock and a bull, your confidence has been 
abused; and that such a set of questions was never 
asked of any foreigner, in these circumstances, since 
America was discovered. Foreigners are here treated 
with more civility than they ordinarily meet with in 
England, and with incomparably more than most of 
those, who visit us, deserve. 

"The unfortunate man," you then inform us, "has- 
tens to make his escape to the tavern, Here," you saj', 
"he is forthwith beset by a swarm of speculators, of a 
superiour order. Having run the gauntlet through 
these, he is left, but, alas! not to a quiet fireside, and a 
solitary meal. His landlord and landlady," you say, 
in language, sufficiently coarse, "seat themselves at 
table with him, together with tlieir dirty children, and 
perhaps too with their servants; and the children seize 
the stranger's drink, slobber in it, and often snatch a 
dainty bit from his plate." More quotations are, \ 
presume, unnecessary. 



74 American Taverns. 

All this you have said with Lambert in your hands: 
for you have quoted from him a passage, which you 
thought might aid your attempts to scandalize this 
country. Had you possessed the least candour, you 
could not, I think, have failed, (in the midst of the 
numerous aspersions, which you have heaped together 
from every dirty source, within your reach,) to quote 
the following passages from that sensible and fair- 
minded writer. 

"Much has been said by former travellers of the 
familiarity, and rudeness, of the Asnerican people. 
I will not attempt to contradict their assertions; but 
for myself I must declare, in justice to the American 
character; that I experienced the utmost civility and 
even politeness from the inhabitants in every part of 
the country through which I travelled. The coach- 
men were civil, and the tavern-keepers attentive; and 
'wherever I had occasion to mice with the country peo- 
pie, I never met with the least rudeness, or shadow oj 
impertinence on any occasion: on the contrary, they 
were civil and obliging." 

"At the taverns and farm houses, where we rested on 
the road, we found the people extremely civil and atten- 
tive. JVe were treated with as much respect, as if we 
had been at our own houses: and the landlord, his wife, 
and daughters, waited on us in the most obliging 
manner. I do not mention this as a solitary instance: 
it was general, at every house, where we stopped' 
Neither have I drawn my conclusions merely from 
the reception, I met with at taverns, and other places 
of public resort, but from my observations upon the 
people in general, with whom I had frequent opportu- 
nities of mixing, whether they belonged to the highest, 
or the lowcsf, orders of the community. I believe it 



American Taverns. 75 

is generally allowed, that for a traveller, who wishes 
to make himself master of the real character and dis- 
position of a people, it is not sufficient, that he asso- 
ciates only with the grandees of a nation. He must 
mix with the plebeians: otherwise he acquires but false 
ideas of the country, and its inhabitants. '-The great 
mass of nations," says Dr. Johnson, "are neither rich 
nor gay. They, whose aggregate constitutes the peo- 
ple, are found in the streets and the villages, in the 
shops and the farms: and from them, collectively con- 
sidered, must the measure of general prosperity be 
taken." From these I have judged of the real char- 
acter of the Americans; and I found it as difficult to 
discover a single particle of rudeness, in the beha- 
viour of the men, as it was to discover an ugly face^ 
or bad teeth among the young women."* 

I Irope, Sir, these testimonies from the only British 
traveller in the U. S. within my information, who has 
united intelligence, candour, and veracity, will be ad- 
mitted even by you, as a proof that the senseless, and 
brutal calumnies, which you have assembled with so 
much diligence, are not a just representation even of 
American taverns. 

Our inns, I feel assured, are inferiour to yours;t but 
I am informed by authority, which, if I were to name 
it, even you would respect, that they are superiour to 
those of any country on the European Continent. At 

* Lambert, vol. iii, p. 98. 
■j- "It is not common to find poor inns in England; but in this instance we were 
served with miserable tea, and miserable bread, and attended by a surly waiter. 
I came to the house with extreme fatigue, and left it with extreme disgust." 
Sill. Journ. See on this subject the travels of JVi. Jilorier, a Prussian Clergy- 
man. The truth is; the inus in Englaiid are good wherever there is sufficient 
travelling, (and that of wealthy people,) to support the expense of costly ac«oin' 
modatioas: where there is not, they are bad; as iu other countries. 



76 American Taverns. 

the same time your inns are enormously expensive; 
and may well afford to furnish many gratifications to 
an epicure, which are not found, because they cannot 
be afforded, in ours. Our inn-keepers cannot build 
so large houses, and of course cannot furnish such a 
multitude of rooms; nor can they keep such a train of 
servants. Travellers, here, are not generally rich 
enough, to be at the expense of such costly accommo- 
dations. 

Concerning the food in our inns, take, if you please, 
the account given by Lambert.* "We put up for the 
night at a very good tavern, where we were supplied 
with an excellent supper, composed of as great a vari- 
ety as we met with for breakfast at Shelbiirne, and 
which is customarij at all the taverns throughout the 
northern Stafes.^^ 

Again. ''At the better sort of American taverns, oi* 
hotels, very excellent dinners are provided, consisting 
of almost every thing in season. The hour is from 
two to three o'clock; and there are three meals in a day. 
They breakfast at eight o'clock, on rump- steaks, fish, 
eggs, and a variety of cakes, with tea or coffee. The 
last meal is at seven in the evening; and consists of as 
substantial fare as the breakfast, with the addition of 
cold fowl, or ham, &c. The price of boarding at 
these houses is from a dollar and a half to two dollars 
per day. Brandy, hoUands, and other spirits, are al- 
lowed at dinner; but every other liquor is paid for 
extra. English breakfasts, and teas, generally speak- 
ing, are meagre repasts, compared with those of Amer- 
ica: and, as far as I had an opportunity of observing, 
the people live, withrespect to eating, in a much more 

" Vol, ij, p. 122. 



American Taverns. 77 

luxurious manner than we do; particularly in the great 
towns and their neighbourhoods."* 

The price of your accommodations would certainly 
furnish very genteel living in this country. They are 
stated by the American traveller, whose Journal I 
have several times quoted, at the following rates; 

/. s. d. 

Bed, 16 

Breakfast of tea, or coffee, with toast, and 

an egg, - . , > 18 

Tea at evening; - - - - 18 

Dinner, of two dishes, with a frugal desert, 5 
Glass of beer, - - - - - 008 
Bottle of Sherry, - - - - 6 

Of Port, 5 

Of Madeira, - - - - 9 

Waiter, 8d a meal, - - - - 9 

Chambermaid,each night,for making your bed, 6 
Boots, for every pair of shoes, and boots, 

which he brushes, - - - 2 

Ostler, each night, - - - - 6 

Porter for carrying baggage, in and out, 6 

And these are the lowest rates, which a gentleman 
can possibly pay; and none of them can be refused. 

I have stated tiiese rates, also, at the lowest esti- 
mates, mentioned by this gentleman. This, Sir, 
makes the ordinary expense of a traveller, with one 
horse, and without a servant, a guinea a day at a 
moderate computation; or more than one thousand 
seven hundred dollars a year. This sum, in America, 
at least in New England, would purchase a very libe- 
ral supply of Epicurean enjoyments for a large family. 

• Lambert, Tol. ii, p. 132. 
11 



7S English Taverns. 

Less than half of it does actually purchase them for a 
single traveller. 

But there is another fact, which illustrates this sub- 
ject in a different manner. "The servants at the pub- 
lic houses in England,^ says the gentleman, mention- 
ed above, "are paid by the guests, and not by their em- 
ployers. They not only receive no wages, but many 
of them pay a premium for their places: that is, the 
masters of the hotels farm out to their servants the priv- 
ilege of levying contributions; and the consideration 
is their service. At our hotel ( The Liverpool Arms) 
the chief waiter assured us, that he paid one hundred 
pounds per annum for his place, besides paying two 
under waiters, and finding all the clothes brushes, and 
some other et ceteras of the house. He had moreover, 
if we might credit his story, a wife and five children 
to support. The head waiters are commonly young* 
men of a genteel appearance, and often dress as well 
as gentlemen."* 

Were the servants in our inns to pay for their 
places, we might undoubtedly be furnished with an 
assortment of them for every inn upon very easy 
terms. But the custom of taxing travellers in this 
manner is unworthy of the character of a civilized 
nation; a despicable mode of plundering strangers by 
a set of harpies. 

The remaining part of your Review, Sir, is chiefly 
made up of attacks, founded on the Works of Jshe, 
Janson, Porcupine, and Priest. I am not in posses- 
sion of PriesVs Travels; and can, therefore, say noth- 
ing concerning them. With Porcupine you are suf- 
ficiently acquainted. The works of the otlxer writers 

• Sill. Jonrn. TOl. r. 



American Womtn. 79 

are as little entitled to credit as those of Sir John 
Mandeville, of whom I remember to have seen this 
character given, when I was a boy, that he was the 
greatest traveller and the greatest liar, in the world. 

You accuse us of having civil and military officers 
for our inn-keepers. I admit the charge, that such 
persons are in some instances found in this list. Piay, 
Sir, will you please to inform me what there is in the 
fact, disgraceful either to them, or to the country. Inn- 
keepers are, here, generally men of very fair reputa- 
tion; and why they may not hold these offices, and 
keep inns, at the same time, cannot be explained; un- 
less you can prove that your manners, only, are right, 
and that we are obliged to conform to them.* 

Your attack on the Women of this country is 
equally false, and brutal. I have heard an advanta- 
geous character of the women of Great Britain; and 
believe it to be just: but I fear not the result of a com- 
parison between the fair sex in this country and in 
any other. There is no country on the globe, where 
women are more unspotted, more delicate, or more 
amiable. Had you resided here long enough to form 
an opinion, you would blush, to your dying day, for 
the foul treatment, which they have received from 
you. A countryman of yours has characterized them 
in the following manner. 

"The females of the New England States are con- 
spicuous for their domestic virtues. Every thing in 
their houses has an air of cleanliness, order, and oecon 

* In a debate in the House of Commons, June 1805, Co!. Cra-wford, in a la 
boured attack on the Volunteer system, 5\icere.<\ at the Officers of tlie Volunteer 
eorps because they were frequently taken from liunible life. A Loiidon Pastr>i 
Cook, he declared, was, within his knowledge, a Colonel of Volunteers. Lord 
Castlereag/i, who replied to him, did not deny the fact. It would be difficult to 
assign a reason, why an American Inn-keeper may not command a regiment ol 
laililia M'ith as much propriety as an English Pastrtj Cook. 



80 American fFomen. 

omy, that display the female character to the greatest 
advantage. The young women are really handsome. 
They have almost all fair complexions, often tinged 
with the rosy bloom of health. They have generally 
good, and sometimes excellent teeth. Nor did 1 see 
m< re instanr« s to the contrary among the young wo- 
men of America than are to be met with in England. 
Their light hair is tastefully turned up behind in the 
modern style, and fastened with a comb. Their dress 
is neat, simple, and genteel; usually consisting of a 
printed cotton jacket with long sleeves, a petticoat of 
the same, with a coloured cotton apron, or pin cloth, 
without sleeves, tied tight, and covering the lower part 
of the bosom. This seemed to be the prevailing dress 
in the country places. Their manners are easy, affable, 
and polite, and free from all uncouth rusticity. Indeed 
they appear to be as polished and well bred, as the 
ladies in the cities, although they may not possess 
their highly finished education."* 

These observations are unquestionably just, and fall, 
in various respects, not a little short of the truth. Do- 
mestic happiness, if the accounts given to mankind of 
the state of society on the Eastern Continent, by wri- 
ters of acknowledged respectability, are to be credited, 
does not exist in any part of the Transatlantic world 
so generally, or in so high a degree, as in this coun- 
try. Whatever faults may attach to the male inhab- 
itants of the United States, the female sex merit the 
highest estimation for all those attributes, which ren- 
der women deserving and lovely. 

Your next remarks are on the slaz-ery of the Blacks 
in the Southern States: a subject, which you have 

* Lambertj vol. iii. p, 105. 



Slavery and the Slave-Trade. 81 

touched upon before, and in the mention of which 
you must be confessed to be unhappy: I do not mean 
in censuring the African slave trade, or the manner in 
which the slaves are treated.* To these subjects I 
make you cordially welcome. They are the proper 
themes of every moralist: and no severity, with which 
they are treated, will draw from me a single animad- 
version. It is the attribution of these iniquities to the 
Americans, with an intention to make them a charac- 
teristical disgrace peculiar to iliem, of which I com- 
plain. Surely when you wrote this passage you forgot 
how lately you have begun to wash yourselves clean 
from this smoke of the bottomless pit. Please, Sir, to 
take a short trip to Liverpool, and survey the hulks, 
which, probably in great numbers, are even now rott- 
ing in the docks of that emporium of African com- 
merce. Then look around upon the numerous splen- 
did buildings, public and private. Next, exclaim, 
"These ships were the prisons, in which hundreds of 
thousands of miserable Africans, after having been 
kidnapped by avarice and cruelty, or taken captive in 
war, kindled by the same insatiable spirit, and torn 
for ever from their parents, husbands, wives, and chil- 
dren, were transported across the Atlantic, to bon- 
dage, and misery, interminable but by death. In 
these floating dungeons, one fourth, one third, or one 
half, of the unhappy victims to this infernal avarice 
perished under the pressure of chains, or rotted in the 
pestilential steams, embosoming, as a vapour bath, the 
niches, in which they were manacled. This work of 

• The Southern Planter, who leceives slaves from his parent by inlicrilancej 
certainly deserves no censure for holding thfjin. He has no agency in procuring 
them: and the law does not permit him to set llieni free. If lie tseats them v.itli 
humanity, and faithfully endeavours to Christianize tliew, !i<i fnHils his duiv, s<> 
long as his present situation continues. 



82 British Slave-Trade. 

tieath has been carried on, also, a century and a half. 
What must have been the waste of mankind, which 
it has accomplished! These houses, these public edi- 
fices, nay, these temples, devoted to the worship of 
the eternal God, with all their splendour, were built 
of human bones, and cemented with human blood. 
Rise, Sodom and Gomorrah; and whiten by the side 
ot men, baptized "in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Hoi-y Ghost."" 

Are you at a loss, Sir, concerning the justice of this 
representation? The records of your own Parliament 1 
will furnish you with abundant and terrible evidence. 
Look to the Report of the Committee of the House of 
Commons. Look to the account, written by the ex- 
cellent Ciarhson. Look to the speeches of Mr. Wil- 
berjorce, the glory of your Parliament, and of your 
country. Read the speech, which he delivered, April 
2d, 1792. You will there read, ^'■Europeans came on 
the coast of Africa, and hovered like vultures, and 
like vultures lived on blood. They ensnared at times, 
and at times by force took away, the natives, and 
sold them for slaves." Read the examples of villainy, 
recited by him on this occasion, too long to be quoted 
by me, and too dreadful to admit of a comment. He 
there will tell you. that of six hundred and fifty 
slaves, on board of one ship in the year 1788, one 
hundred and fifty-five died; of four hundred and five 
m another, two hundred died; of four hundred and 
fifty in another, two hundred died; of four hundred 
and two in another, seventy three died. ^ 

From all these sources learn, also, the immense ex- 
tent of this foul business; the amazing numbers of 
unhappy wretches, who perished in it; the amazing 
liumbers who lived, onlv to be made miserable; the 



/ 



Bntish Slave- Trade. 83» 

portentous iniquity, with w hich it was carried on; and 
the vast difficulty, with which it was broken up. You 
probably were present, as a member of your Parlia- 
ment, during most, if not the whole, of the long strug- 
gle, made by many of your Nobles, of high rank; 
by your enlightened Statesmen; and by a numerous 
train of your Gentlemen; not the fox-hunters, men- 
tioned above, but men of education, of enlightened 
and superiour minds, and possessed of an honourable 
character among their countrymen; against the glori- 
ous efibrt, made by Mr. Wilberforce and his coadju- 
tors to terminate this demoniacal traffic. 

But, Sir, in your zeal to heap scandal upon the 
Americans, you appear to have forgotten, that you 
have Colonies of your own; and that in these colo- 
nies slavery exists in forms, and degrees, incompara- 
bly more horrid, than in the Southern American 
States. You have forgotten, that the enormous crimes 
perpetrated in this system, are committed by native 
Britons under your own eye, and beneath the con- 
troiul of your own Parliament. \ shall take the liberty 
to refresh your memory concerning this subject. 

"To the disgrace of Great Britain and her colo- 
nies," says the Christian Observer for July 1811, "-the 
British slave- code is more severe in its jorovisions 
than perhaps any other. Compared with if, the code, 
promulgated by the Spanish government, is freedom 
itself:' 

Will you please, Sir, to cast your eye upon the 
fifth report of the Directors of the African Institution^ 
read to the subscribers, March 27th, 1811. You will 
there find, substantiated by evidence, which precludes 
all doubt concerning the facts, that a Mr. Huggins, a 
distinguished planter in NaviSf "went January 23d, 



\ 



\ 



84 Slavery in British Islands. 

1810, attended by two of his sons on horseback, with 
upwards of twenty slaves, men and women, in the 
custody of drivers, through the streets of C/iarlestown 
to the market place, and there proceeded to indulge 
his cruelty to the utmost, during more than two 
hours in the face of day, and in the sight and hearing, 
not only of free persons, but of magistrates, who of- 
fered him no interruption." 

To one negro man he gave, by the hands of expert 
drivers, lashes no less than - . _ 365 

To a second, - - - - 115 

To a third, - - - - 165 

To a fourth, - - - - 862 

To a fifth, - - - - 212 

To a sixth, - - - - 181 

To a seventh, - - - - 187 

To a woman, - - - - 110 

To a second, ' - - - 58 

To a third, - - - - - 97 

To a fourth, - - - - 212 

To a fifth, . - - . 291 

To a sixth, - - - - 83 

To a seventh, - ♦ - - 89 

The number of victims, thus specified, was 14. The 
seven men received 1477 lashes; or 211 each, at an 
average. The seven women received 940, or l'34> 
each. All these were inflicted with a cart-whip. The 
whole number of lashes was 2417; inflicted by expert 
drivers; within the compass of somewhat more than 
two hours; at the command, and under the eye, of 
this devil in human shape, and of his two sons, whom 
he brought to be witnesses of their father's character. 
Even this is not all: "for he administered," says the 



Huggins and Hodge. 85 

Reporfc, "to various other women and men, varioujst 
other cruel measures of the same punisiiment, at the 
same time." One of these miserable sufferers died, 
soon after, of this merciless treatment. 

Nor is this all. There were at this time seven mag- 
istrates in Cliarlesiown. Two of them, the Reverend 
William Green^ and the Reverend Samuel Lions^ 
each holding two livings in the Island, were within 
hearing of the lash; and must have known of the cruel 
and illegal cause; yet did not interpose. The same 
was true of Dr. Cassin, a surgeon in that Island, who 
was present at a part of this scene, and after having 
counted 236 lashes, given to one negro, coolly said he 
thought it was enough. Another Magistrate, Mr. Ed» 
ward Huggins jun. looked on, the greatest part of 
the time. 

If you will read a little farther, you will find, that 
Mr. Huggins, the master, was acquitted by a jury, al- 
though the facts were proved beyond a doubt, so as 
not to be disputed, and although the slaves had been 
guilty of no offence, of any importance. In addition to 
this, the printer of the Gazette in St. Christopher'' s 
was prosecuted by him for inserting in his paper the 
minutes concerning this subject, sent to him by order 
of the Assembly; was found guilty of publishing a li- 
bel, issued by the House of the Assembly of Nevis^ 
and was sentenced to a month's imprisonment, and to 
find bail, to keep the peace for three years 

In the same Report you will find an account of a 
man, that is a human body animated by a demon; a 
planter of Tortola, named Hodge. This infernal 
agent whipped twelve of his slaves so, that they died. 
Down the throats of two females he poured a quanti- 
ty of boiling water. A child he ordered to be dipped 
12 



80 Hodge and Huggins. 

in a copper of boiling liquor. Frequently he caused 
the children on his estate to be taken up by the heels, 
and dipped into tubs of water with their heads down- 
wards, and kept there till they were stifled; then to be 
taken out, and suffered to recover and breathe: when 
they were again tieated in the same manner: and so 
repeatedly, until they have been seen to stagger, and 
fall. On this he has ordered them to be taken up and 
suspended to a tree by their hands tied together, and in 
this situation cart-whipped. Among others, a Mulat- 
to child, reputed his own, named Bella, was repeated- 
ly whipped by his order: and he was also seen repeat- 
edly to strike the child with a stick on the head, so as 
to break her head. 

I presume, Sir, you are tired of this tale. So am I. 
I will only add, that, to the unspeakable joy of every 
honest man, who has heard, or who ever will hear of it, 
this wretch, after many obstacles had been thrown in- 
to the way of justice, was at last convicted, and hang- 
ed. Amen, and Amen. 

I hope, Sir, w^e shall never more hear any compari- 
son made between your slave holders and ours. Stig- 
matize both as severely as you please: but let your 
journalists, and your travellers, when they are brand- 
ing ours with infamy, remember Hodge and Hug- 
gins. 

Permit me, at the end of this recital, to return my 
most cordial thanks to the members of the African 
Institution for their noble effort in behalf of these 
abused people. The hand of God be with them, and 
make their way prosperous. 

Your next topic of scandal is the state of those, 
whom you call Redemptioners; persons, who, wishing 
to come to America, and not having sufficient proper- 



Irish Redetnptionei's. 87 

ty to pay their passage, agree with the captain of the 
ship to become bound, as servants, for such a period 
of time as that their service wili amount to the sum, 
which they have engaged to pay. These men are 
usually, though not always, inhabitants of Irelavd. 
If you really think their case a hard one. why do you 
not prohibit it by your laws? Nothing is eciiicr. 
Make the transaction penal on tlie part oi the cap- 
tains. The Americans will thank you for sucti a law. 
Whatever you may think, Sir, we are n( t gratified by 
the transportation of tliese people mto our country. 

But, Sir, you totally mistake the facts in you< ap- 
prehensions concerning the condition of these people 
in America. They are neither more nor less tiian 
hired men and women; no more slaves; no more op- 
pressed; nor in any respect treated with any more un- 
kindness. In all respects they are as well situated iis 
hired Americans; and have as little reason to com- 
plain of their circumstances, as any hired people in 
the world. Believe me, Sir, your lamentations over 
them are lost. They would only laugh at you for 
your pains. 

Another thing, which' you attribute to us, is ihe 
iise of strong drink. From Mr. Lambert you take 
an account, given to him by Mr. Bradley, (of the 
American Senate,) which he applied exclusively to the 
Virginians; and with the customary candour of your 
journalists, and travellers, when speaking of America^ 
you apply it to the whole people of the United States. 
Had Mr. Lambert known Mr. Bradley, he would 
have perceived, that the whole stoi y was no more than 
a piece of characteristical sport, intended merely to 
amuse his fellow travellers. 



$§ Consumption of Ardent Spirits. 

But I readily acknowledge, that far more spirits, 
both ferme ted and distilled, are drunk in this coun- 
try than any man can justify. I hesitate not to pro- 
nounce the practice, in the degree in which it exists, 
l)oth shameful and sinful. Yet nothing is more un- 
just than your assertion, that "the love of ardent spirits 
prevails pretty generally throughout all classes,*' or, 
(as you prefer the language,) "^throughout the whole 
unclassified, and indivisible community.'* The inhab- 
itants of New England, for example, are, I strongly 
suspect^ much more temperate than those of Old Eng- 
land; at leabt than those who come thence to America. 
I have seen many representations on this subject, made 
by your own countrymen; and have heard many, 
made by mine. These could not be made with truth 
concerning the inhabitants of Next) England. But we 
need n^ >t have recourse to these, in order to settle this 
point to our mutual satisfaction. I will barely turn 
your attention to the "Stranger's Guide through Lon- 
don." Here you will find, consumed annually in that 
Metropolis, of Spirituous Liquors, 

Gallons 11,146,782; 
Wine, - . - - Tons, 3^,000, or 

Gallons, 8,064,000; 
Ale and Porter, - - Bis. 1,113,500, or 

Gallons, 35,632,000 
The number of inhabitants in London, may, in 
round numbers, be estimated at 1,000,000. Every 
one of these, if we average the quantity consumed, 
drinks more than eleven gallons of Spirits, more than 
eight of Wine,and more than thirty five of Ale and 
Porter. More than half of this number is, however, com- 
posed of children, and of such women as drink none. 
Accordingly, the estimate to each individual of the re- 



Consumption of Ardent Spirils. 89 

maining 500,000, is twenty two gallons of Spirits, 
sixteen of Wine, and seventy of Ale and Porter; or 
one hundred and eight gallons of strong drink to eve- 
ry individual. 

The whole quantity of ardent Spirits, supposed by 
the highest estimate to be imported into this country,, 
or manufactured by its inhabitants, was, in the year 
1810, 33,000,000 of gallons. The number of inhab- 
itants was, according to the census of the same year, 
7,88^,903. Dropping the fraction, and stating the 
number of inhabitants at seven millions, the number 
of gallons, consumed by each individual, will, at an 
average be rather more than four and a half; or, 
(as half drink no ardent spirits,) rather more 
than nine to each individual in the remaining 
half. The quantity of Wine, consumed in this 
country, is not so much as a fourth of the quanti- 
ty of ardent Spirits; and that of Ale and Porter is tri- 
fling in its amount. Two gallons to an individual, oi 
both, will be an ample allowance. We have, then^ 
rather more than eleven gallons of strong drink to 
each individual in the United States; and 108 gallons 
to each Londoner: viz. nine gallons of ardent Spirits 
to the American, and twenty two to the Londoner: 
one gallon and a half of Wine to the American^ and 
sixteen to the Londoner; half of a gallon of Ale and 
Porter to the American, and seventy to the Londoner. 

At the same time it is to be remembered, that one 
third of the inhabitants of this country have no other 
drink beside ardent spirits, and water; and, therefore, 
are justified to some extent in drinking spirits. The 
people of the Northern States drink cider, as their 
common beverage; but you need not be informed, 
that cider is a weak liquor, compared with Ale or 
Porter. 



90 Gourrms;. 



& 



I presume, Sir, we shall hereafter hear no more con*, 
cerning the intemperance of the Americans from an 
Englishman. Yet I acknowledge, that there is much 
intemperance in this country; and that it deserves se- 
vere reprobation, and demands the vigorous resistance, 
as well as discountenance, of all good men. But 
nothing is more untrue than your assertion, that "the 
Jove of ardent spirits prevails pretty generally through 
all classes." Tlie farmers and mechanics of this 
country, and the gentlemen, (for such, permit me 
to say, there are in great numbers; as were you to re- 
side here a little time, you would be obliged to con- 
fess;) are as sober and temperate a body of people, as 
can be found in the world, unless perhaps in France, 
and possibly in some of the countries lying under a 
hot climate. You will remember, that I am here 
speaking of the Northern States. Of the temperance, 
cr intemperance, of th« others I have very little 
knowledge, except what is derived from the estimate 
above. 

After your eloquent account of our intemperance, 
you summon up again the story of Gouging. Goug- 
ing is as infamous and abominable a practice, as even 
you can paint it; and you have my consent to attack 
it as often, and as severely, as you please. So far as 
1 know, it has never crossed the Poio'wmac. As JV/a- 
rijland is a slave State I will, for the present, throw it 
out of the computation. From Maryland northward, 
where, it is presumed, not an instance of gouging has 
happened since the first colonization of this country, 
tlie free population amounts to3,T58,851. South of 
this line the same population amounts to 2,258,430. 
Let those, who are included in the latter sum, cleanse 
their hands from the guilt and disgrace of this prac- 



Bull-Baiiing. 9 1 

tice,as well as they can. Among those, included in 
the former sum, it is unknown: and therefore, the au- 
thority of tVeld and Gen. Bradley notwithstanding, 
^^gouging, lacking, and biting, are!'' not ^'allowed in 
all our Jig hi s.''^ 

Of the number of our Jighls I will leave you to 
judge, when 1 have informed you, that I am advanc-, 
ed far in life, and that I have travelled through a con- 
siderable part of the Northern States, in both the old 
and new settlements, in all directions, and that very 
extensively; that I began this course at an early peri- 
od of life, and that 1 have mixed freely, from the be- 
ginning, with men of most descriptions; and yet never 
saw but one quarrel between two adult individuals, 
which came to blows, during the whole progress of 
my life. Compare with this fact, Sir, your rencoun- 
ters between Orib and Molyneaux, Mendoza and Hum- 
phrey, and a long train of other champions of the fist; 
with your Gentlemen, Nobles, and Princes, assembled 
to look on. Compare it with your bull-baiting; and 
remember, if you please, the debate on this subject in 
your Parliament; and the speech of Mr. IVindham 
on this occasion. Remember also the decision of that 
august Body, sanctioning a practice, at which both 
nature and decency revolt. 

Let me infoim you. Sir, that there never was a 
bull-baiting in this country;* and that the inhabitants 
regard the practice itself, the cold-blooded eloquence 
of Mr. TFijidham, and the barbarous decision of your 
Parliament with indignation and horror. 

* Since these Remarks were finished, I have been informed, that a considera- 
ble number of years since, there w« a buU-bjiiting; in J\'ew Tsrk, and another 
romewhere in Peimsy'.vania . 



92 British Manufacturers. 

I could pursue this subject, Sir, and several otberi, 
connected with it, much farther; but it is unnecessa- 
ry. I will, therefore, now proceed to take another 
view of the general one of Morals and Manners; 
and in doing this, will exhibit your Morals and Man- 
ners, as you yourselves have presented them to the; 
world. 

The gentleman, whose Journal I have several times 
quoted, speaking of Manchester, says, "'The wages of 
the labouring manufacturers are high at present; but so 
few of them lead sober and frugal lives, that they are 
generally mere dependents on daily labour. Most of 
the men are said to be drunkards^ and the women dis- 
solute''^* 

Espriella, speaking of Manchester, says, *'Tliese 
children, then, said I, have no time to receive instruc- 
tion. I'hat, Sir, he replied, is the evil, which we have 
found Girls are employed here from the age you 
see them, till they marry; and then they know noth- 
ing about domestic work, not even how to mend a 
stocking, or boil a potatoe. But we are remedying 
this now; and send the children to school for an hour 
after they are done work. 1 asked if so much con- 
finement did not injure their health. "No," he repli- 
ed; "they are as healthy, as any children in the world 
could be." To be sure, many of them, as they grew 
up, went off in consumptions; but consumption was 
the disease of the English. I ventured to inquire af- 
terwards concerning the morals of the people, who 
were tramed up in this monstrous manner; and found 
what was to be expected, that in consequence of herd- 
ing together such numbers of both sexes, who were 

f Sill. Jpuraal, vol. i. 



British Manufacturers! . 93 

utterly iininstructed in the commonest principles of 
religion and morality, thei/ were as debauched and 
profligate, as human beings, tinder the influence of 
sitch circumstances, must inevitably be; the men 
drunken, the women dissolute; that, however high 
the wages they earned, they were too improvident 
ever to lay by for a time of need; and that, though 
the parish was not at the expense of maintaining them 
when children, it had to provide for them in diseases, 
induced by their mode of life, and in premature de- 
bility and old age. The poor rates were oppressively 
high, and the hospitals and work houses always full 
and overflowing. I inquired how many persons were 
employed in the manufactory; and was told, children 
and all, about two hundred. What was the firm of 
the house? — There were two partners. So, thought 
I — a hundred to one."* 

The same writer, speaking of Birmingham, says, 
"Our earth was designed to be a seminary for young 
angels: but the devil hus certainly flxtd upon this spot 
jor his own nursery garden and hot house." 

"When we look at gt>id, we do not think of the 
poor slaves, who dug it from the caveriis of the earth; 
but I shall never think of the wealth of England, 
without remembering that 1 have been in the mines. 
Not that the labourers repine at their lot; i* is not the 
least evil of the system, that they are perfectly w ell 
satisfied to be poisoned, soul and body. Foresight is 
not a human instinct: the more unwholesome the em- 
ployment, the higher of course are the wages, paid to 
the workmen; and, incredible as it may seem, a trir 
fling addition to their weekly pay makes these shor^T 

* Esp. Lettei- S$. 

13 



^1 British Manufacturers, 

sighted wretches contend for work, which they cer- 
tainly know will, in a very few years, produce disease 
and death, or cripple them for the remainder of their 
existence." 

"I cannot pretend to say, what is the consumption, 
here, of the two legged beasts of labour; commerce 
sends in no returns of its killed and wounded. Nei- 
ther can I say, that the people look sickly, having 
seen no other complexion in the place, than what is 
composed of oil and dust, smoke dried. Every man, 
whom I met, stinks of train oil and emery. Some \ 
have seen with red eyes and green hair; the eyes af- 
fected by the fires to which they are exposed, and the 
hair turned green by the brass-works. You would 
not, however, discover any other resemblance to a 
triton in them, for water is an element, with the use 
of which, except to supply steam engines, they seem 
to be unacquainted." 

"The noise of Birmingham is beyond description. 
The hammers seem never to be at rest. The filth is 
sickening. Filthy as some of our own old towns may 
be, their dirt is inoffensive: it lies in heaps, which an- 
noy none, but those who walk within the little reach 
of their effluvia. But here it is active, and moving; a 
living principle of mischief which fills the whole at- 
mosphere, and penetrates every where; spotting and 
staining every thing, and getting into the pores and 
nostrils. I feel as if my throat wanted sweeping, like 
an English chimney." 

Again. "A regular branch of trade here, is the 
manufacture of guns for the African market. They 
are made for about a dollar and a half: ike barrel is 
filed with water; and, if the wafer does not come 
through, it is thought proof sufficient: of course they 



Bnttsh Manufacturers. 95 

hurst, ^hen fired, and mangle the wretched negro^ 
who has purchased them upon the credit of English 
faith, and received them, most probably, as the price 
of human flesh! No secret is made of this abom- 
inable trade; yet the government never interferes; and 
the persons concerned in it are not marked, and shun- 
ned as infamous." 

"In some parts of Italy the criminal, who can prove 
himself the best workman at any business, is favour- 
ed, infavorem artis, unless his crime has been coin- 
ing: a useful sort of benefit of clergy. If ingenuity 
were admitted as an excuse for guilt in this country, 
the Birmingham rogues might defy the gallows. 
Even as it is, they set justice at defiance, and carry on 
the most illegal practices almost with impunity. Some 
spoons, which had been stolen here, were traced im- 
mediately to the receiver's house: "I know what you 
are come for," said he to the persons, who entered the 
room in search of them; "you are come for the 
spoons:" and he tossed over the crucible into the fire, 
because they were not entirely melted. The officers 
of justice had received intelligence of a gang of coin- 
ers; the building, to which they were directed, stood 
within a court-yard; and, when they reached it, they 
found, that the only door was on the upper story, and 
could not be reached without a ladder. A ladder was 
procured: it was then sometime before the door could 
be forced; and they heard the people within mocking 
them all this while. When at last they ctTected their 
entrance, the coiners pointed to a furnace, in which 
all the dies, and whatever else could criminate them, 
had been consumed during this delay. The coins of 
any country, with which England carries on any in- 
tercourse, xvhether in Europe, AsiUy or America, are 



^6 British Manufacturers. 

counterfeited here, and exported. An inexhaustible 
supply of half pence was made for home consump- 
tion, till the new coinage put a stop to this manufac- 
tory: it was the common practice of the dealers in 
this article to fry a pan full every night after supper 
for the next day's delivery, thus darkening, to make 
them look as if they had been in circulation." 

^'■Assignats were forged here during the late war; 
but this is less to be imputed to the Birmingham spec- 
ulators than to those wise politicians, who devised so 
many wise means of ruining France. The forgery 
of their own bank notes is carried on with systematic 
precautions, which will surprise you. Information of 
a set of forgers had been obtained, and the officers en- 
tered the house: they found no person on any of the 
lower floors; but when they reached the garret, one 
man was at Work upon the plates in the farthest 
room, who could see them as soon as they had as- 
cended the stairs. Immediately he opened a trap- 
door, and descended to the floor below; before they 
could reach the spot to follow him, he had opened the 
second, and the descent was impracticable for them, 
on account of its depth: there they stood, and beheld 
him drop from floor to floor, till he reached the cel- 
lar, and effected his escape by a subterraneous pas- 
sage." 

"You may well iinagine what such people as these 
would be in times of popular commotion. It was ex- 
emplified in 1791. Their fury, by good luck, was in 
favour of the Government; they set fire to all the 
houses of all the opulent Dissenters, whom they sus- 
pected of disaffection, and searched every where for 
the heresiarch Priestley, carrying a spit about, on 
which they intended to roast him alive. Happily for 



Colquhoun^s Police of London. 97 

himself, and for the national character, he had taken 
an alarm, and withdrawn in time/'* 

These observations, Sir, are said to have been made 
by a gentleman, reported, generally, to be one of the 
writers in the Quarterly Review: their truth, therefore, 
will hardly be disputed by you. 

I might pursue the same course of illustration 
through many other writers, and extend my quota- 
tions to the size of a volume; but the tale would be 
too tedious to be read, as well as too burdensome to 
be written. I will, therefore, hasten it to a conclu- 
sion. 

In Colquhoun^s Police of London, a summary is 
given to the world of the sorts of villainy, regularly 
carried on in the Capital of the British Empire; the 
boast, as well as the pride, of every Englishman. 
This summary, as I, although an American, have 
providentially had the means of knowing, was the re- 
sult of the best information, which the nature of the 
case will admit; better, probably, than ever was pos- 
sessed by any other man; and is therefore to be re- 
garded as authentic. Let me invite you to look at 
the following table, copied from this very intelligent 
Work. It contains the sorts of villains, which, like 
spirits from the nether world, haunt that great city, 
making it a second Fandcemonium; and annexes to 
each sort the number of wretches which it contains. 

1. Professed thieves, burglars, highway rob- 
bers, pickpockets, and river-pirates, 2,000 
2> Professed receivers of stolen goods, 60 
8. Coiners, &c. of base money, 3,000 



Carried forward, 5,000 

* Ksp. Lett")' 5G 



§8 Villains in the British Metropolis. 

Brought forward, 5,060 

4. Thieves, living partly by depredation, and 
partly by their own labour, 8,000 

5. River pilferers, 2,500 

6. Itinerant Jews, employed in tempting oth- 
ers to steal, 2,000 

7. Receivers of stolen goods from petty pil- 
ferers, 4,000 

S. Suspicious characters, who live partly by 
pilfering and passing base money, 1,000 

d. Menials, who defraud their employers in a 
little way, so as generally to elude detec- 
tion, estimated at 3,500 

10. Swindlers, cheats, and low gamblers, liv- 
ing chiefly by fraudulent transactions in 

the lottery, 7,440 

11. Other classes of cheats, not included in 

the above, 1,000 

12. Dissolute publicans, who make their 
houses rendezvous for thieves, swindlers, 

and dealers in base money, 1,000 

13. Inferior officers in the Customs and Ex- 
cise, including supernumeraries and glut- 
men, sharing the pillage, and frauds, com- 
mitted on the revenue, estimated at 1,000 

14. Persons keeping chandlers' shops for the 
sale of provisions to the poor, and cheating 

their customers by false weights, 3,500 

15. Suspicious servants out of place, princi- 
pally from ill- behaviour and loss of charac- 

' ter, about 10,000 



Carried forward, 50,009 



Villains in the British Metropolis, 0§ 

Brought forward, 50,000 

16. Black-legs, or proselytes to gaming, as a 

trade, 2,00© 

17. Spendthrifts, and other profligate men, 
seducing others to intemperance, lewdness, 
debauchery, gambling, and excess, esti- 
mated at 3,00P 

18. Foreigners, who live chiefly by gambling, 5,000 

19. Bawds, who keep houses of ill-fame, &c. 2,00Q 

20. Females, who support themselves chiefly, 

or wholly, by prostitution,* 50,000 

gl. Dishonest strangers, out of employment, 1,000 

22. Strolling minstrels, ballad-singers, show- 
men, trumpeters, and gypsies, 1,500 

23. Grubbers, and a long train of other low 
pilferers, 2,000 

24. Common begsrars, 3,000 



Total, 119,500 

"This shocking catalogue," says the intelligent mag- 
istrate, "does not include every fraud and dishonesty 
which is practised." Yet here, Sir, is a list, which 
holds out more than one ninth of the population of 
your great city, as living by fraud, villainy, and pollu- 
tion. What must be your feelings, Sir, when walk- 
ing through the streets of London, to know that one 
person, out of every nine whom you meet, is of this 
character? 

In the year, from September 1790, to September 
1791, including 445 prisoners delivered over by the 
Sheriffs of the preceding year, 1,533 were tried at the 

* Tliis i« worse, Sir, tksra TOtin». 



iOO Villains in the British Metropolis. 

Old Bailey. Of these, 711 were acquitted, and 822 
condemned. 
^ Of these there were 

lU for Murders, 

4 Arson, 

10 Forgeries, 

9 Dealing in, and uttering, base money, 

1 Sodomy, 

2 Piracies, 
4 Rapes, 

642 Grand Larcenies, 

32 Stealing privately from persons, 

13 Shop lifting, under five shillings, 

16 Ripping and stealing Lead, 

12 Stealing Pewter Pots, 

!E2 Stealing from furnished Lodgings, 

1 Stealing Letters, 

1 Stealing a Child, 

22 Receiving stolen goods, 

7 Bigamy, 

6 Perjuries, 

6 Conspiracies, 

3 Fraudulent Bankrupts, 
15 Frauds, 

9 Misdemeanonrs, 

1 Assaulting, and cutting Clothes, 

1 Smuggling, 

7 Obstructing Revenue Officers, 

1 Wounding a Horse maliciously, 

38 Assaults. 



895 Total. 
Of these, thirty-two were executed: more, 1 sus- 
pect, than have been executed for the same crimes in 



Public Crimes. 101 

New England since the first Colonists landed at Ply' 
mouth. Yet Mr. Colqiihoun says, that this melan- 
choly catalogue does not contain above one tenth part 
of the offences, which were actually committed; so 
that the real number of high crimes, actually perpe- 
trated, was at least 10,880. Yet London contains but 
a million of people; and New England, a million and 
a half. A capital conviction is, here, a solitary thing; 
existing but once in a considerable series of years. 

You may possibly think, that the execution of our 
laws is lax. You say this concerning the United States 
at large: but it is not true concerning New England. 
The disadvantage lies wholly on your side. A centu- 
ry to come will hardly furnish such a list of criminals 
in New England^ as that which is here disclosed. A 
single fact will show you the character of its inhab- 
itants, as to their honesty. It is believed, that more 
than one half of the families ordinarily go to bed with- 
out bolting, or locking, their doors. Of what other 
country can this be said? 

I have observed, that executions are here solitary 
events. Let me add, that a great proportion of the 
miserable objects, who suffer capitally, are foreigners. 

You ridicule Inchiquin for saying, that "theje is no 
populace in the United States, no Patrician, no Ple- 
beian, no third or middle class.'' I need not inform 
you, although you seem to be willingly ignorant of it, 
that in every civilized country there must of necessity 
be persons, and families, distinguished for superiority of 
character, wealth, intelligence, refinement, station, and 
influence. I presume, that Inchiquin intended noth- 
ing more, than that we had no Nobles and no Peas- 
antry. With his meaning, however, I have no con- 
cern; but, understood in this sense, the declaration is 
14 



102 Condition of the People in New England. 

substantially true. In our larger towns we have r 
number of people, who are styled day-labourers; and 
a very small number of these are thinly dispersed 
throughout the country; but the whole amount is 
inconsiderable. The public paupers in our country 
towns do not, I am persuaded, exceed one in three 
hundred of the inhabitants. In a number of these 
towns there has never been an individual of this class. 
Every man, with the exception of this inconsiderable 
number, and a very few others, holds his lands in fee- 
simple. Tenants are almost unknown. The people 
are, as a body, what you call yeomanry; possessing 
estates, on which they live in the enjoyment of com- 
petence, and independence. These circumstances are 
announced in the Scriptures as the safest, and happiest, 
for man: and with their testimony that of the ancient 
Philosophers and poets, and that of the wise men in 
your own Island, perfectly coincide. New England 
furnishes no reason to distrust its truth. 

Lands are here obtained with comparative ease; and 
subsistence, both agreeable and abundant, is within 
the reach of every person possessing health and hon- 
esty, and even a moderate share of industry and econ- 
omy. Very few therefore are poor; and even those, 
who are styled such, are rich, in comparison with the 
poor of Europe. Rarely are they without tea or cof- 
fee for their breakfast, or without animal food, once, 
twice, or thrice every day. 

At the same time, all these people can read, and 
write, and keep accompts There is scarcely a beg- 
gar, or a black, who cannot. In this important par- 
ticular, even yon will acknowledge our superiority. 
Recollect what efforts you have made to establish 
Sunday schools in your Island; the associations, form- 




Education of the Poor. iOo 

cd for their establishment; the difficuUies, which they 
had to overcome; and the exultation, which has 
echoed throughout England upon the success, with 
which they have been attended. I give your coun- 
trymen full credit for this Institution; and for the 
good sense, liberality, pei severance, and patriotism, 
with which it has been originated, and supported. 
The authors, and friends, of it I hold in the highest 
honour; and cordially wish them the richest blessings 
of Heaven. But I need not inform you, that the ex- 
istence of these schools; the discussions concerning 
their nature, and use; the difficulties, which u^re to 
be overcome; the numerous, and noble, efforts, to 
which they have given birth; and the triumph of wis- 
dom and benevolence, which they have furnished; 
while they reflect immortal honour upon the name of 
Hannaii More, one of the brightest ornaments of the 
human race, and upon all her illustrious coadjutors, 
declare, also, in the strongest manner, the extreme ne- 
cessity of extending this education to the English 
poor, because they were before without education. 

If you will cast your eye on Dr. Curriers Life of 
Burns, you will see, that he has mentioned New 
England as one of the few privileged countries, in 
which the education of 'parochial schools is commu- 
nicated to the inhabitants universally. The King, and 
the Nobles, Gentry and Clergy of Scotland, occupied a 
century in establishing this Institution in that country. 
The ancestors of New England commenced, and fin- 
ished, it in a day; and their descendants have main, 
tained, and extended, it to the present hour. 

I believe the Nobility of Great Britain are indis- 
pensable to the continuance of its government, safety. 
and peace. But you cannot be ignorant of //jje disso- 



104 English Nobility, 

liifene^s of manners, which so extensively prevails 
among those, who form this distinguished order; and 
is so often complained of by your writers, of high re- 
spectability, and so often evidenced in your courts of 
justice, in other causes, beside those of Crim. Con. 
which are numerous, and deeply humiliating to your 
national character. It cannot be necessary for me to 
remind you of the private character of Mr. Fox; him- 
self, indeed, not a nobleman, yet of noble birth; or of 
the imputations on Lord Melville. The history of 
your Nobility, although there are many honourable 
exceptions, is certainly not such, as to flatter the feel- 
ings of a virtuous Englishman. Look at the Letters 
of Junius. Look at the train of kept mistresses, at 
this moment, and at every other in your history, which 
they, and your Gentry, in great numbers, hold up to 
the eye of the public, without a blush, or even an 
apology: and then permit me to inform you, that I 
do not know two persons, of this character, in New 
England. 

The Mediocrity of our circumstances has often 
been an object of ridicule, as well as of contempt, with 
Englishmen. Here, however, it is believed to be a 
source of no small happiness to the inhabitants. 
There is, it must be acknowledged, much less splen- 
dour; much less to admire; much less to boast of. 
There are fewer palaces; fewer stupendous public 
buildings; fewer magnificent public works. But, Sir, 
one rich man is always surrounded by many who 
are poor; and one great man, by many who are little. 
Wretchedness always follows in the train of pomp, 
and rags and beggary haunt the mansions, as well as 
the walks of pride and grandeur. If we have not 
many opulent inhabitants; we have few, that are indi- 



Condition of the People in New England. 105 

gent. If we have not palaces; we have few cottages. 
One would think, that a benevolent man would feel 
some satisfaction in looking around him, and seeing 
competence and enjoyment diffused universally; in be- 
lieving, that, exclusively of the unavoidable calamities 
of this world, the multifude, and not merely a few 
persons possessed of princely fortunes, were fed, and 
clad, and lodged in a pleav;ant and desirable manner. 
To me, no prospect, confined to this world, has been 
so delightful, as that, which I am always sure to find, 
when travelling in this country; the great body of the 
inhabitants enjoying all the pleasure, furnished by 
these very circumstances. Surely, Sir, even you must 
be willing, that there should be one country of which 
these things may be said with truth. 

You may not unnaturally think this account an 
exaggeration. Perhaps the following observations of 
one of your own countrymen may convince you, that 
it is not. 

"Throughout the States of Connecticut, Massachu- 
setts, and New York, a remarkably neat, and indeed 
elegant style of Architecture and decoration seems to 
pervade all the buildings in the towns and villages; 
and, I understand, is more or less prevalent in the rest 
of the Northern and Middle States. The houses in 
the small towns and villages are mostly built of wood; 
generally one or two stories above the ground floor: 
The sides are neatly clap-boarded and painted white. 
The sloping roofs are covered with shingles and paint- 
ed of a state colour; and, with sash windows, green 
Venetian shades outside, neat white railings, and steps, 
have a pretty effect. Sometimes the entrance is orna- 
mented with a portico. The churches, or as they are 
oftener termed meetings, (meeting houses,) are con- 



106 Condition of the People in New England. 

structed of similar materials, painted white, and fre- 
quently decorated, like the houses, with sash windows 
and green Venetian shades outside. The building is 
also surmounted by a handsome spire or steeple, with 
one or two bells. A small town composed of these 
neat and ornamental edifices, and situated in the 
neighbourhood of well cultivated farms, large fields, 
orchards, and gardens, produces a most agreeable 
effect, and gives the traveller a high opinion of the 
prosperity of the country, and of the wealth of its in- 
habitants. Indeed, those parts of the Northern and 
Middle States, through which 1 travelled, have the 
appearance of old, well settled countries, The towns 
and villages are populous; provisions cheap and abun* 
dant; the farms appear in excellent order: and the in- 
habitants sober, industrious, religious, and happy."* 

Permit me to add another short paragraph from the 
same traveller. 

^'Through the whole of this journey of 240 miles, 
from New York to Boston, I had passed over a most 
beautiful tract of country, which, from the manners of 
its inhabitants, the excellent order of its towns, villa- 
ges, and buildings, its farms, and orchards, gardens, 
pasture and meadow lands, together with the face of 
the country, undulated with mountains, hills, plains, 
and vallies, watered by a number of rivers, small lakes, 
and streams, afforded a variety of the most beautiful 
landscapes, and strongly reminded me of English 
scenery."! 

Your next attack is upon a subject, which, I be- 
lieve, no British Journalist, who has meddled at all 
with America, and scarcely a single British t aveller, 

* Lambeit, vol. iii, p. S9, 90. t I-<amb*;rt, rol. iii,, f. 98. 



Genius and Learning of (he Americans. 107 

who has visited its chores, has passed by: ihe Genius 
and Learning of this country. The observations, 
made by those among your writers, who first handled 
this part of the American charactei', have been reo-u- 
larly thrummed over by all, who have followed them. 
The story, Sir, has become absolutely stale; and, if 
you will permit me to advise, you will not repeat it 
again until twelve months shall have fairly finished 
their circle. It was a pleasant story enough at first, I 
acknowledge; but a perpetual reiteration of the same 
thing, however good it may be, will become rather 
dull. Lest I should become so too, my strictures upon 
them shall not be delayed by a long preface. 

The observation, which you have quoted from the 
Abbe Raynal, which has been written off in a succes- 
sion, not much less repetitious, or protracted, than that, 
in which school-boys of former times wrote ^^ Com- 
mand you may your mind from ptay" is a proof of 
the Abbe's ignorance, or a specimen of his customary 
indifference to truth. The two Edwardses, father and 
son, have exhibited as high metaphysical powers, as 
Europe can boast; and have thrown more light on 
several abstruse subjects, of the highest importance, 
than all the Philosophers of that continent and your 
own Island, united. 

With Mr. Barlow's Colwnbiad you have a right to 
take any decent liberty. He has treated your country 
in such a manner, as to be lawful game to a Briton. 
I shall, therefore, leave him in your hands. 

After disposing of him, you say, "to Mr. Barlow's 
Epic may be joined a Poem by a Mr. Fingal. No 
escendant," you say, "we believe, of the Caledonian 
bard of that name.^^ You are perfectly right, Sir, in 
your conjecture. The author is not a descendant o^ 



108 Mac FingaU 

Ossian, the Caledonian bard, to whom, I suppose you 
refer, and who left no descendants. At least I see not 
how he could have sprung from this bard, unless by a 
Hyberman figure of speech. Nor was he a descend- 
ant of the real Fingal; the father of this same bard. 
The author, Sir, is a Mr. Trumbull, one of the judges 
of the Supreme Court, of the State of Connecticut. It 
was written, when he was a young man, in the year 
1775. The name of the Poem, Sir, is Mac Fingal. 
On this subject, as unhappily on many others, which 
you have thought proper to handle, you have not 
been w^ell informed. Were you to read it, which from 
your observations it is evident you have not done, you 
would find, that it is a work, displaying fine talents, 
a degree of wit, and of humour, also, rarely rivalled; 
little inferiour in these respects to your celebrated Hu- 
dibras; and in every other, far superiour. It is true 
the sprightly excursions of the poet are sometimes di- 
rected against Great Britain; as those of Butler are 
against Presbyterians; but as I, a Presbyterian, can 
laugh very heartily with Bufler, so, undoubtedly, will 
you be able to do with Trumbull; especially as the 
prejudices of an American Presbyterian must be very 
strong; and those of an English Episcopalian barely 
exist; if, indeed, it can be truly said, that they exist at 
all. At all events, Sir, read this poem, before you 
write about it again; and, at least, learn its true name. 
Concerning Dr. Franklin I shall make no other ob- 
servations than that a multitude of your own writers, 
and a multitude of others, in France and Germany, 
have spoken of him in a very different manner 
from that, in which you have chosen to speak, 
and that you must permit me to believe, from the re- 



Dr. R'dfenhnnse, IQd 

Wiarks which you have made, you are ignorant both 
of the history, and of the science, of electricity. 

Concerning Dr. Rittenliouse^your strictures are emi- 
nently unfortunate You say, that ^'Riftenhouse was 
an Englishman, not an American^ Dr. Riftenhoiise 
was born in Gennaniown, seven miles from Philadel- 
phia; and was descended from ancestors, who came 
into this country from Holland. He was bred to the 
business of a plain farmer; and, while he was employ- 
ed, when a boy, in the common pursuits of agricul- 
ture, indicated a peculiar propensity to Mathematical 
science by numerous Geometrical figures, which, for 
want of better materials, he drew upon his plough, up- 
on the fences, surrounding the field of his labour, and 
even upon the stones, which it contained. A delicate 
constitution compelled him to leave the farm, and to 
betake himself to the business of making clocks, and 
mathematical instruments. In both these arts he was 
his own instructor. He invented the science of Flux- 
ions; and for a consideiable time did not know, that it 
had any other author. Finding an English translation 
of Newlon^s Principia, he made himself master of this 
abstruse work, when he could scarcely be said to have 
reached manhood. 

You say some hard, and impertinent, things of Mr. 
Jefferson, because he asserted, that "Dr. Riiienhouse, 
by imitation, approached nearer to the Maker of the 
world than any other man; and that his model of the 
planetary system has the plagiary appellation of an 
Orrery." 1 suspect, that you mistake the meaning of 
the latter assertion. Mr. Jefferson intended, not that 
preceding imitations of the planetary system had not 
been named Orreries, but that Dr. Rittenhouse's plan- 
etarium was a work, so different from the Orreries of. 
15 



ilO J}r. RiftenJiottse. 

Europe, so siiperiour to them, and so entirely an in- 
vention of his own, that it was an en our to call it by 
that name. Had you seen it, I am persuaded you 
would have adopted Mr. Jefferson^s opinion. 

You subjoin — "All that posterity knows about him 
is, that as President of a democratic club at Philadel' 
phia, afterwards called The Philosophical Society, he 
signed some inflammatory resolutions, tending to abet 
the Western insurrection; and that he was a good 
measurer of land." 

This, Sir, may be all that English tDostcrity knows 
about Dr. Rittenhouse: and a part ot this must be 
knovVn by the aid of peculiar optics, because it is not 
true. The Philosophical Society of Philadelphia 
was never a democratic club, nor a political club in 
any sense. It was instituted in the year 1769, long be- 
fore democracy was heard of in this country; and has 
ever been engaged, and with a considerable degree of 
success, in promoting science: and this has been its on- 
ly employment. 

But American posterity knows much more about this 
Gentleman. — He is known, here, by several curious 
Astronomical calculations, and observations; particu- 
larly of the transits of Venus and Mercury^ in 1769; 
and by his very useful labours in settling, to the general 
satisfaction, territorial lines between different States. 
For thirteen years he was treasurer of the State of 
Pennsylvania; and was regularly chosen by an annu- 
al and unanimous vote of the Legislature. Soon af- 
ter he resigned this office, he was appointed the first 
Director of the American Mint; and held that office 
until bad health compelled him to resign it. Permit 
me to add, Sir, that he preserved, through life, a char- 
acter unstained and irreproachable; was holden in high 



Hadley's Quadrant. lU 

esteem by the best men in this country, and among 
others by Washington; and died in the full belief of 
the Christian system, and the strong hope of realizing 
its blessings in the future world. What may, perhaps, 
be in your view of more importance than all, he was 
a Fellow of the Royal Society in London. In 3'our 
next edition of this train of observations on American 
genius and literature, which I shall look for in some 
one of your numbers for the year 1815, I hope for 
your own sake, you will treat Dr. Rittenhouse with a 
little more civility. 

In your account oiHadleifs Quadrant you are equal- 
ly unhappy. It was invented, notwithstanding you 
are pleased to challenge the honour of the invention^ 
as belonging to Hadley, whom you call "your ingen- 
ious countryman," by a Mr. Godfrey of Philadelphia, 
Permit me to tell you the story. 

A considerable premium had been offered in Lou' 
don for the invention of a Quadrant possessing the 
properties, which were ultimately attained in this. 
Godfrey, a poor but ingenious man, applied himself 
diligently to the business of forming one, which should 
answer the description given in these proposals, and 
succeeded. To acquire the premium, and the honour 
of the invention, be engaged a passage to England in 
a ship, just ready to sail from Philadelphia. John 
Hadley, Esq. then commanded a ship, lying also in the 
Delaware; and invited the Captain, with whom God- 
frey was to sail, to dine w'ith him. After dinner he 
brought out a Quadrant, which he considered as supe- 
riour to those in common use. His guest told him, 
that if he would dine with him the next day, he would 
€hew him one, lately invented by a Philadelphian^ 
which was much guperiour to his own. Hadley con- 



112 City of JVashingion. 

sented; and came the next day, provided with the 
means of taking an exact description of the new 
quadrant. After they had dined, the quadrant was 
produced; and Hadley took a description of it. His 
ship being ready to sail, he fell down the river that 
night; and, having a very short passage to England^ 
procured a quadrant to be made of the same structure. 
Some weeks afterwards the ship, in which Godfrey 
sailed, arrived in England. Here he found among 
that class of people, who were interested in such a sub- 
ject, much conversation about Hadley^s quadrant, as 
being a new and very happy invention, and much su- 
periour to any, which had before been known. He 
procured a sight of the instrument, and found it exact- 
ly the same with his own. You may suppose, that 
he was astonished at this discovery. The captain, 
scarcely less astonished at the grossness of the fraud, 
and deeply w^ounded by this proof of his own indis- 
cretion, explained the mystery to Godfrey. The un- 
happy man became a maniac. Your countryman 
was indeed, ingenious, Sir. 1 wish he had been 
honest. 

Your observations concerning the City of Washing- 
ion are sufficiently contemptuous; and I acknowledge, 
that there is some foundation for a part of the ridi- 
cule, which they throw upon it. The Comedy has, 
however, had a tragical catastrophe. Your Officers 
have blown up the Capitol, and burnt the Presidents 
house. They cost a million and a half of dollars; 
and both were esteemed fine pieces of Architecture by 
respectable Europeans, as well as by the people of this 
country. But whatever distinction they might claim; 
or whether they could, or could not, claim any; they 
^.re now no more. Probably you may enjoy more 



American Naval Efforts. 113 

pleasure in recollecting this fact, than most travellers 
will, in surveying the ruins. 

You next indulge your spleen upon our Naval ef-. 
forts. Really, Sir, if I may judge from the informa- 
tion, which reaches this country from Great Britain, 
the exploits of our seamen awaken no very pleasant 
sensations in the minds of your countrymen.* From 
the pains, which you take, on all occasions, to magni- 
fy our force much beyond its real amount, and to di- 
minish yours much beneath it; and that, in various 
instances, in defiance of the vessels, and guns, and 
men, actually in our possession; when you make such 
laborious, and formal calculations on the subject; 
when you so solemnly inquire why the Americans 
fire so much more rapidly than your own people; and 
when you exidt so much in the capture of the Ches- 
apeake; an exploit, much less brilliant than you make 
it; I cannot help suspecting, that you think more 
highly of the American seamen than your are will- 
ing to express. If you do not; you are the only na- 
tion in the world, which does not. We, at least, are 
satisfied with both their bravery and their conduct: 
much more so, if I mistake not, than you are. Let 
xne add, that you have not been accustomed to make 

' From Cobbett^s Register. "I have from the first expressed my appre- 
hension as to tlie end of the war. I used ray utmost endeavors to prevent 
it. — At last the war took place, and the disgi-ace, which we suffered at sea, com- 
pleted the madness of the nation, who seemed to have no other feeling than that 
of mortification and revenge. What! should the people be suft'ered to live; 
should they he suffered to exist in the worid; who had defeated, and captured, a 
British frigate! should those, who had caused the British flag to be hauled down, 
not be exterminated! Disappointment; fury! The nation was mad. "Rule Brit- 
tannia," tiie constant call of the boasting rabble at places of public resort, 'v^as no 
longer called for with such eagerness, and was heard with less rapture. The he- 
roes in blue and buff carried their heads less lofty. Their voices seemed to be- 
come more faint, and their port less majestic. They seemed to feel, as men of 
honour would, upon such an occasion. In short, we all felt, that a new era iiad 
taken place in the naval finals of the world," 



il4 British House of Peers, 

this ado about your naval rencounters with any oth- 
er nation. 

At the close of these observations you mention a 
silly speech made by Mr. Wright of Maryland, a 
member of Congress. You had before given a very 
contemptuous account of the persons, who consti- 
tute the House of Representatives, and of the indecent 
manner, in which their debates are conducted. With 
regard to the last of these articles I observe, that> 
though I do not think very highly of the manner, in 
which the debates of our Representatives are carried 
on, yet the adventure of Matthew Lyon did not exist 
during the time, when the House was in Session; and 
therefore does not affect the manner of conducting 
their debates. It is, I believe, bare justice to our 
House of Re(y»'esentatives to say, that, while in session, 
they are at least as decorous, as your House of Com- 
mons; and that the Houses of Representatives in Con- 
nedicut and Massachusetts are incomparably more s o 

Please, Sir, to read the following transcript froni 
your Parliamentary Chronicle, reciting some transac- 
tions in your House of Lords. 

June 17th, 1794. "The Lord Chancellor then pro- 
ceeded to read Lord Grenville's original Motion of 
Thanks; when he was interrupted by 

Lord Lauderdale; who insisted that he had a right 
first to propose a Motion of Thanks to Colonel Vill- 
eite for his meritorious services at Corsica: Colonel 
Villette being equally entitled to them as Lord Hood. 

The interposition of the Noble Earl being contrary 
to all the established Rules of Parliament, he was call- 
ed to Order by the whole House. 

The Noble Earl, however, persisted in what he 
called his right. 



Lord Lauderdale, i 15 

The Lord Chancellor stood up, and said, he spoke 
to Order from the Woolsack. 

Lord Lauderdale^ notwithstanding this, attempted 
to proceed, though the voices of "The Chair, The 
Chair," echoed from all sides. 

Lord Hawkesbury declared, he had sat thirty-five 
years in Parliament, and never witnessed such unru- 
ly and disorderly behaviour in any Member. He call- 
ed upon their Lordships to support the Chair; or all 
that was decent^ and m^derly, in the Senate, would be 
annihilated. 

Lord Lauderdale never sat down the whole time; 
and, as soon as Lord Hawkesbury finished, again at- 
tempted to interrupt the Chancellor, who was also on 
his legs. 

The House at length prevailed; and the united 
voice of their Lordships in a peremptory manner 
compelled the Noble Lord to desist. 

Is it then true, Sir, that your Peers of the Realm, 
assembled in the House of Lords, and proceeding in 
the solemn business of Legislation, behave in this 
manner? Is it true, that one of them, of high name, 
and great consequence, trespassed so grossly on the 
established rules of order, that another of similar dis- 
tinction, felt himself obliged to call upon the House 
to support the Lord Chancellor; and to declare, that, 
if they did not, all^ that was decent and orderly in 
the Senate, would be annihilated^ and was this No- 
bleman so disorderly that he could not be reduced to 
order, until the whole House of Peers, uniting their 
voices in a peremptory manner, compelled him to de- 
sist? Had you been a member of the American Sen- 
ate from its commencement to the present hour; you 
yourself would say, that all the indecorums, which 



116 Earl Stanhope. 

have taken place in it, would not amount to one such 
scene, as this. 

As to silly speeches, I think you have your share of 
them. Permit me to make a few extracts. 

Earl Stanhope — < — "The learned Lord has said, that 
the aristocrat tradesmen [In this land oi blunders we 
should have said aristocratic tradesmen ] approved 
their conduct: the only persons, who disapproved 
thereof, were the Sans- Culottes. I am a Sans-Culotte 
citizen; a Sans-Culotte individual; one of that swinish 
multitude, who think their proceedings unjust and 
illegal." 

Permit me to ask, whether the noble Earl at this 
time appeared in the House of Peers without his small 
clothes? 

April 15, 179i. 

Again. Sir Gregory Page Turner — whom I take to 
be one of the country Gentlemen, who are unlike any 
thing, found througliout the whole range of the United 
States. 

"He said, he had not opened his mouth before this 
session, though he had constantly supported the war 
in the strongest manner with a silent vote. He was 
both Vt'illing, and ready to submit to any taxation, the 
Minister should be pleased to impose; and for that 
purpose, would, in concert with the other Gentlemen 
of that House, deliver in an exact and regular detail 
of his property. He did not mean to compliment 
Mr. Pitt, but he certainly had a high opinion of his 
integrity, and accordingly pronounced a long and irreg- 
ular eulogium thereon. What was equalization? 
The French had talked of equalization: but in truth 
he supposed they wanted to make an equal partition 
of property. Every body knew he had not much 



Sir Gregory Page Turner. 117 

landed property, but what he had he should not like 
to share with these fellows. He was an insignificant 
Member, as the House supposed him to be; and could 
not say much to the purpose; but he had two or three 
good coats which he supposed the French also would 
like to take, and leave him only one. He supposed 
too, that men, who had no money, would scramble 
for all they could get; and those who had but ten 
pounds, might want a hundred, or perhaps two hun- 
dred: he could not tell. (During the whole of this 
diverting Peroration, the House was convulsed with 
laughter; and the Speaker was obliged to force an air 
of gravity, to command order. ^ The Honourable 
Baronet wondered why the Gentlemen enjoyed his 
speech so much, since he did not pretend to humour. 
These were his real sentiments, which are — which 
are— which are — (another fit of laughter.) The 
War — Much had been €aid of the War. It is the 
War of Europe. It is — a War!!! We had engaged 
in this War, not for attack, but defence; to secure our 
property, our lives and honours " March 6, 1 '94. 

1 am so pleased with the speeches of this Gen- 
tleman, that I must be permitted to copy another 
specimen of his Oratorical powers, exhibited May 26^ 
1796. 

"Sir Gregory Page Turner,^^ says the Parliamen- 
tary Chronicle, "craved the indulgence of the House 
for a few observations which he had to make. Wlien 
he stood up in the morning, or when he lay down at 
night, he always felt for the Constitution. (A laugh.) 
On this question he never had but one opinion. 
When he came first into Parliamer.t, he remembered, 
that the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed a Re- 
form; but he saw it was wrong, and he opposed it. 
16 



118 Earl Stanhope. 

Would it not be madness to change what had existed 
sound from the days of his father? (Loud laughter.) 
Were Gentlemen to make changes in their Constitu- 
tion, as they altered the cut of a coat, for the fashion, 
or as a lady fancied a new head dress? (Burst of 
laughter.) When questions of such a dangerous na- 
ture, as the present, was brought forward, he could not 
sleep quietly on his peaceful pillow. Gentlemen spoke 
of places and pensions. He had neither place nor 
pension; and therefore he was at issue with them on 
the score of independence. Did Birmingham and 
MancJiester bring forward propositions for a Reform? 
No. They were brought forward by Gentlemen, high 
in talents, and high in Opposition. Did Gentlemen 
expect to stop bribery, and corruption, in our Govern- 
ment? He never had such an idea It was all one, 
whether the House consisted of 5000, or 500. They 
had not to consider who the Electors were, but who 
the elected are.^ 

Now for Lord Stanhope again. 

*'I am a friend to liberty, to French liberty, so far 
as it respects the rights of individuals; and I will go so 
far as to add, that, if the fortune of war so ordain it, I 
shall glory to be hanged in such a cause: for it is the 
cause of Mankind, and of Philosophy." 

Now, Sir, if his Lordship had really a strong wish 
to be hanged, I must be permitted to say, that any 
attempts on the part of the House of Peers, to prevent 
his Lordship from going to the gallows, must have 
been an unseemly, and perhaps an untimely, interfer- 
ence. For the cause of Mankind, peradventure some 
one might even dofre to die; but for the cause of Phi- 
losophy scarcely would any man die. Since, then, a 
martyr has been actually found, ready to venture his 



Mr, Drake, jwu 119 

neck in this cause, the man must be very little of a phi- 
losopher, who would step between his Lordship and the 
gallows; but should his Lordship actually be hanged in 
this cause, I should humbly advise him not to appear 
on the gallows in his favourite character of a Sans 
Culotte. 

Mr. DroA:e,jun. "I applaud the Honourable Gentle- 
man, that has just sat down, who defended, with sub- 
lime, astonishing, and angelic eloquence, the measure 
approved by his Majesty. Immortal thanks to him 
for the honesty, and manliness of his declarations. I 
shall always be proud to have the honour of uniting 
with a man, so characterized, and so immortalized! I 
shall be proud to join him, to overturn the enemies of 
our glorious Constitution. I shall fight for this won- 
derful fabric to the last drop of my blood! He that 
entertains, and propagates, contrary opinions, is the 
greatest enemy to mortal man! For my part, 1 had 
rather die a Loyaiist, than live a Republican. OhJ 
then, Sir, let us draw ourselves out in battle an^ray for 
the peace of the country. Oh! Sir, I will not declare — 
Yes, Sir, I will declare, what delight it gave me to 
hear the Noble Lord over the way, (Lord Titchfield,) 
express himself as he did. I love that Noble Marquis; 
I love him in my heart, for the speech, he delivered 
this night. Oh! Sir, this country loves the Bentincks 
and the Cavendishes. Come now, ye valiant defend- 
ers of the glorious Revolution, assist me in my hon- 
ourable endeavours to immortalize that v/onderfu! 
event." 

Really, Sir, this is very fine; and is no unhappy 
specimen of that "sublime, astonishing, and angelic 
eloquence," which Mr. Druke applauded so fervently 
in Mr. Amiruther, Why, Sir, this outdoes M,r. 



120 Mr. Drake, jtin. 

Wright himself; and approaches near to thimder- 
and lightning 'Williams. B t we are net yet come 
to the acme of Mr. Drake^s eloquence: and far be it 
from me to do injustice, even in thought, to such a 
rival of Cicero, by failing on this occasion to quote 
his most pre eminent effusions. Here they are. 

"Mr. Drake then — in the most emphatic terms con* 
jured his Honourable, ever Honourable, and right 
Honourable, friends to unite heart and hand in sup- 
pressing, and extirpating, the very semen of a Revolii- 
tion, which was but too evident in ike volcanic, sub- 
terranean, infernal, diabolical, eloquence of his inimi- 
cal friends; who — (Here an immoderate peal of 
laughter.) The Honourable Member went on, "I 
have been interrupted in one of the most essential 
privileges of a British Senator: to wit, the freedom of 
speech; which, I hope, the Speaker has not omitted to 
demand of his Majesty in the present session of Par- 
liament, If it has been obtained, I, in common with 
other Members, have a right to avail myself of it. In 
order to conciliate the attention of the House, I lament 
that it is necessary for Members to detail their politi- 
cal creeds. Whatever that of others may be, mine is 
loyalty to my King, fidelity to my Country, and love 
to the Constitution." (Great animation.) 

Mr. Drake — "if by theatrical geslicidafion I have 
betrayed an excess of animation, it was but the ebul- 
litions oj my heart, which oblige me to exclaim with 
Hamlet, that 

"I have that within, which passeth shew; 
These but the trappings, that the seat, of woe." 

Pray, Sir, is Mr, Drake now alive? If he is, could 
you not persuade him to take a short trip across the 



The Earl of Jbingdon. 121 

AtTanfic, and teach by his example our Senators and 
Representatives a little eloquence? I do not mean, Sir, 
*'the volcanic, subterranean, infernal, diabolical elo- 
quence of his inimical friends;" I mean his own elo- 
quence, and somewhat of that 'theatrical gesticula- 
tion," and that "excess of animation," one or both of 
which "is but the ebullitions of the heart." Who 
knows, Sir, but such a measure, as this, would improve 
the Honourable Mr. Clopton, the Honourable Mr. 
Widgery, and even the Honourable Willis Alston, 
Indeed, Sir, it is difficult to conceive how much good it 
might do. 

Turn we now again to the House of Lords, Novem- 
ber 13, 1796. 

The Farl of ^6m^rfon— "The Noble Secretary of 
State has on a former night said a good deal about 
Lord Clarendon. Since that debate, I have met with 
a book, which gives a full account of Lord Clarendon. 
1 will read some passages from that book, to show 
your Lordships what kind of a man that celebrated 
character was. In the first place, I have to observe, 
that Lord Clarendon was a very superstitious fellow, 
and believed in ghosts. But I will read a very curious 
dialogue out of this book about him." (Here some of 
their Lordships asked the name of the book.) Lord 
Abingdon. ^'•It is a hook of good authority. It is an 
hundred years old: and I bought it at a stall. Before 
I proceed to read this passage, I wish to observe, that 
I think the old doctrine of Passive Obedience and 
Non Resistance is revived I was in hopes it had been 
quite buried, since James the Second's reign. I wish 
to ask the Reverend Prelate (Bishop of Rochester*) 
whether Vox Populi is not Vox Dei. I will prove it 

'Bishop Horsley. 



122 The Earl of Abingdon. 

is; and thai God Almighty always inspires the Peo- 
pie on such occasions, and will do so still. I will 
prove this by authors as old as Methusalem-* though 
I am not prepared now: but when I am, I mean to 
come down with a very severe Phillippic upon the 
subject." 

Bishop of Rochester. *'Never having had the good 
fortune of meeting with any author, as old as Methu- 
salem, 1 cannot meet the Noble Lord upon the sub- 
ject." 

Earl of Abingdon. "As I am not prepared now, I 
will prove it clearly some other time. I however in- 
form the Bench of Bishops, and your Lordships, that 
every one of you, who believe in the doctrine of Pas- 
sive Obedience and Non- Resistance, will be damned 
ivithoid redemption; because it is against the Revolu- 
tion principles.''^ 

Again. "I have written against Mr. Burke. I 
bave published against him: and yet he never would 
answer me. I have begged him to cut me up, to 
Hea me alive; (an American would have said flay;) 
so as he would but answer me: but not a line could I 
get from him." The debate at the third reading of 
the bill for the preservation of his Majesty^s Person 
and Government. 

I do not believe, Sir, that Mr. Wright himself, 
when he was a Senator of the United States, and de- 
livered a secret Message (made secret at his own re- 
quest,) before a crowded gallery in the House of Rep- 
resentatives, could have excelled this display of Lord 
Abingdon'^s oratorical powers. But his Lordship, as 
we learn from the same source, appears as a Divine^ 
as well as an Orator, 

' O-'" BiWfa read J\TiitJni^'Jnh 



The Earl of Abingdon. 12S 

On January 6, 1796, in a debate on the Resolution 
that Great Britain "ought not and would not, inter- 
fere in the internal affairs of Prance,''^ the Earl of Ab- 
ingdon observed, "Does not the Noble Lord (Earl 
Stanhope) know, that retaliation, an eye for an eye, 
a tooth for a toothy is the law of the Gospel? — And 
how is this to be accounted for, but that the Noble 
Lord does not believe in the law of retaliation; al- 
though founded upon that Christian-like principle of 
returning good for evil? He does not therefore believe 
in the Gospel?^ 

Now, Sir, I verily believe, that there is not a Cler- 
gyman in the United States, who, however studious, 
or however advanced in years, knew, before his Lord- 
ship discovered it, that "an eye for an eye, a tooth for 
a tooth, was the law of the Gospel;" or "that the law 
of retaliation is founded on that Christian-like princi- 
ple of returning good for evil." In this land of bar- 
barism it has been supposed, that the principle of re- 
turning good for evil was, in reality, a Christian prin- 
ciple; and of very serious importance in the system of 
the Gospel; and not merely "Christian-like." But 
what, better than tliis, could be expected in these 
Transatlantic regions? 

It is time that these extracts should be terminated. 
Let me ask, Sir, what are we to think of the morals, 
what of the honour, cherished by the Members of your 
House of Commons, when we read, in the Parliamen- 
tary Chronicle for 1796, the debate on the franking of 
letters; and find it publicly averred by the Minister as 
a reason for curtailing this privilege of the Members, 
that they were in the habit of farming it out at the 
highest price, and thus shamelessly defrauded the 
Revenue; when we find a law passed, that no Member 



124 Lord Cochrane. 

shall frank more than ten letters, or receive more than 
ffteen, in one day, and that all above this number 
shall be charged to him? What are we to suppose, 
when in another section of the same law, we find 
Members forbidden to frank letters at any Post 
Office, tvhich is more than twenty five miles distant 
from the places, where they severally were on the day 
of franking; and when in another, we see them for- 
bidden to delegate their right of franking to m&re 
than one individual at a time? 

Look at the case of Sir Thomas Cochrane, com- 
monly called Lord Cochrane., a member of your 
House of Commons. While your abuse of our Con- 
gress was yet issuing from the press, this man was im- 
peached for a swindling conspiracy; that is, he was 
charged with conspiring with his cousin the Honoura- 
ble Cochrane Johnston, and others, to fabricate and 
circulate a false report with a view to profit by a sud- 
den rise in the funds; and, after fabricating and circu- 
lating such a report, with having in connexion with 
his associates, sold out stocks, which had been purchas- 
ed for that very purpose, to the amount of nearly a 
million sterling; thereby putting in their own pockets 
twenty or thirty thousand pounds, which they had 
thus filched from the pockets of unsuspecting pur- 
chasers. Of this Clime he was impeached by a large 
committee, who were appointed to examine into the 
circumstances of the case, and who published to the 
world their names, and the reasons on which their 
opinion was founded. He then published, under the 
solemnity of an oath, a full, positive, and unequivocal 
assertion of his innocence. Still he was indicted by a 
grand jury, brought before your Court of King's 
-Bench as a culprit, found guilty by a petit jury, and 



• Lord Cochrane. 125 

sentenced by the Court to be fined, imprisoned, and 
stand one hour i)i the pill or i/, in one of the most pub- 
lic streets of London. At the opening of Parliament, 
and before the House had time to expel him, he grossly 
abused the persons who had impeached him, the jury 
who had found him guilty, and the judge who had 
Sentenced him. He was, however, soon expelled; but 
the tale does not end here: you would rejoice if it did 
As his place was vacant, writs were issued for a new 
election. Lord Cochrane had the hardihood to offer 
himself as a candidate; he addressed the electors; he 
bawled as loudly as ever, I presume, against corrup- 
tion; he assumed that he was one of the genuine 
friends of the People; and, can it be believed! was re- 
turned as a Member of the House of Commons, by a 
majority of electors in a populous part of your proud 
metropolis. He of course takes his seat, and both 
votes and debates, if he pleases, on all questions relat- 
ing to the public maintenance of religion, to good 
morals, and good government. Either Lord Coch- 
rane is guilty of one of the vilest frauds, of a gross 
perjury in order to conceal it, and of gross slander of 
those, who impeached, condemned, and expelled him, 
or your honourable merchants, your boasted courts 
and juries, and your national Legislature, have most 
iniquitously proscribed and punished an innocent man, 
of high standing in society. I mention this alternative, 
not because I have doubts respecting his guilt; but 
merely to show, that there is no possible way of evad- 
ing the disgrace attached to this transaction. 

Such things could not take place in this country, 
while our present standard of morals remains. It has 
been remarked by judicious men. here, that no person 

could retain a particle of influence, even among tVie 
17 



126 Decency of the British Parliament 

lowest and worst classes of the community, after he 
had been legally convicted of an infamous crime. 
Our villains, particularly those in high life, are obliged 
to abscond when detected, even before conviction. 
Your Wilkeses and your Cochranes, though known 
to be infamously vile by every intelligent man; though 
tried as malefactors, condemned, punished, and ex- 
pelled the House of Commons; are yet taken up by 
the people, made the idols of a party, again returned 
to Parliament, where with unparalleled effrontery they 
aiot only look honourable men in the face, but take 
an active part in legislating for a great nation. 

Once more, Sir, let me ask. What are we to think of 
the decency, with which the debates of your Parliament 
are conducted^ when in the House of Commons, we hear 
Mr. Burke (April 1794,) comparing the River Scheldt 
to the filthiest of all idensils, and that by name; or 
when, in the House of Lords, we hear the Earl of 
Mansfield translate the words Sans Cidotte, used a» 
an adjective, by the grossest phraseology, which he 
coidd have derived from a dog-kennel. These men 
were the lights of your country; and made Europe, 
and even these Transatlantic regions, resound with 
ihcir fame. If such things were done by your leaders; 
what must, we suppose to have been done by their 
followers? 

To finish my remarks concerning your Parliament, 
\ observe, that the most disgraceful Member of our. 
Congress, (and we have had several, who were suffi- 
ciently disgraceful,) fell immeasurably behind the 
famous John Elwes, three times returned as a Mem- 
ber to your Parliament. Look at this man, Sir, then, 
11.1 the possession of near 800,000 pounds sterling,, 
after having expended eighteen pence for his election. 



John Elwes. IS? 

Lielting out from his seat on horseback, with two hard- 
boiled eggs in his pocicet; shunning carefully eveiy 
turnpike road lest he should be obliged to pay the lare; 
stopping under a hedge; feeding his horse upon the grass 
in the road, and himself upon the egg; wearing a wig, 
cast off by a beggar, and picked up by himself out oi" 
a kennel; and following from morning to night the 
carpenters, who were repairing his houses. View him 
again at his own seat, mending his win^dows with a 
.piece of broken glass, or a bit of brown paper; glean- 
ing corn out of his tenants' fields; picking up stray 
chips, and bones, to carry to the fire in his pocket; 
pulling down a crow's nest, io add to his slock of fuel; 
and then complaining of the extravagance, and 
waste, with which these creatures built tlteir nesis. 
See him agam, stealing into ihe sfahle, and taking 
away the hay, which his servant had given to the 
horse* of a friend who visited him; eating corrupt 
ed meat, and the animals which had been bred in 
it; and devouring the small fry, taken by his net, in 
stead of replacing them in the river until they should 
he grown, because he should never see them again 
Behold him hiding his money, wrapped up, a few 
guineas in a paper, and deposited in corners, and other 
secret places; and rising by night, as well as watching 
by day, to see whetlier it had been stolen. Finally, 
mark this man, then worth a million sterling, and on 
ihe verge of death, crijing out in his steep, ''/ will 
keep my property: no man shall rob meof viy proper I yJ^- 
When you have done this, mustci", for a i-eview, all 
that has been contemptible in the Congress of th-c 
United States; and say whether you believe, that an- 
other such human being was ever born out of Great 
JBritain 



128 Conjugal Infidelity. 

There is another subject intimately connected with 
your Government, much more intimately than I 
could wish, which demands a few additional remarks. 
"Your Lordships will remember," said the Bishop of 
Rochester, on the 11th of March, 1706, "that you 
have had cases before you, where Ladies of high 
rank have been gidliy tmth their menial servants: 
if they are to be entitled to settlements upon Divorce, 
what is it, but to hold forth rewards to Postillions^ &c. 
to debauch their Ladies? There have been, also stated, 
cases, where the usage of the husband has been plead- 
ed in extenuation. In such cases the proper reme- 
dy will be, to refuse him his bill of Divorce; where, 
for instance, an old and debilitated man courted a 
young girl to his arms, he ought to abide the event, 
for he takes her, with his eyes open to the conse- 
quences. In the particular case before us, I see noth- 
ing that can be urged in mitigation; — an old niDoman, 
forty years of age, having ten children^ took to her 
bed a Scoundrel of a French Emigrant.^' 

This, Sir, is a most melancholy story; as the sub- 
ject of it is a most disgraceful theme of legislative de- 
liberation: disgraceful, I mean, not to the Legislature, 
but to the country, which has made the debate ne- 
cessary. Happily for New England, this story can- 
not, so far as my knowledge extends, be told of its 
inhabitants. ISo similar occurrence, within the limits 
of my information, has been found here. In two of 
the JS'ew England States,* there are laws permitting 
Divorces by their Supreme Judicial Courts: laws, im- 
measurably dishonourable to those States, and fitted 
only to diffuse pollution. Yet such is the character 

* Connecttcui and VermoKt. 



Conjugal Li fidelity. 12D 

of the New England people, that even these laws 
have hitherto drawn no such cases, as those mention 
cd by the good Bishop, in their train. Should tiicy 
continue in force, there can be no reasonable doubt 
:hat their consequences will be baleful to the purity ot 
individuals, the peace of families, and the welfare o- 
the public. Hitherto, their effects, although only per- 
nicious, have been very limited. 

With yovl^ Sir, this most malignant species of cor- 
ruption is of long standing; and appears to have per- 
vaded your country throughout its early, as well as its 
later history. A great part of your Comedies, and of 
your Novels, a multitude of your Songs, and other 
Poems, and many other still graver Publications, have 
been scandalously obscene and polluted.* A God' 
i£)'m, defending gravely his licentious concubinage with 
a Wolstoncrajt, would, here, have been hissed in the 
streets by the inhabitants of eveiy village, through 
which he passed. 

This evil spreads throughout a great part of the 
higher classes in your country. It enters the palac«': 
often it has ascended the throne. Look over one of 
your Court Registers; and see whether you c-annot 
find proofs of it in the very names of your Dukes, 
Look at your present Royal Family; at the history of 
Mrs, Clarke. But I will stop: for, although you havt. 
driven me to these remarks, I have no pleasure in less 
ening the reputation of your Royal Family. 

Perhaps, Sir, a plea may be made for this licen- 
tiousness by some others of your countr3'men, which 
has already been made by the Edhibiirgii Re- 
viewers. 

* I have never known an obscene book published in the American Slates. 



130 The Edinburgh Review. 

"The passion of Monarchs for their Mistresses,''' 
says a writer in the forty-fourth number of that re- 
doubtable Work, "is not always fatal to their own 
honour, or to the happiness of their people. La Belle 
Gabrielle, Madame cle la Valliere, and otiier in- 
stances, might be quoted in favour of this opinion. 
But the monarchy, and their mistresses, were of that 
age, when a mutual passion gave to each a para- 
mount interest in the glory and happiness of the oth- 
er. The moment, when a nation most dreads and 
abhors the dominion of a mistress, is when they see 
in it the result of luxurious habits, rather than of pas- 
sion— the feverish want of a decayed constitution, 
rather than the honest demands of nature and imag- 
ination." 

Pray, Sir, is not the Conductor of the Edinburgh 
Review a descendant of those cattle, who, according 
to Lord Monboddo, were the first ancestors of the hu- 
man race; who tvore fails, and lived in the near neighs 
bourhood of our Cousin Ourang Outangs? I presume 
his Lordship must have formed this part of his Philo- 
sophical System under impressions made upon his mind 
by the appearance, and character, of those around him. 
He must have seen, I think, mental characteristics, 
which, he supposed, ought to belong to those only, who 
had once worn tails; and their appearance was probably 
such, as induced him to believe, that they had not 
long been freed from this ornamental appendage. 
This Conductor was, 1 suppose, born in the vicinity of 
his Lordship: and, if the proper investigation were to 
be made, it would, I presume, be found, that the tail had 
tately fallen off from the man, or that the man had fall- 
en off from his tail: for it is doubtful which was tli'^ 



The Edinhurs^h Review. . 131 



tj 



principal part of the composition. To this conclusion 
I am irresistibly led by the paragraph, which has just 
been quoted. ^^ The passion of Monarchs for their 
mistresses is not always fatal to their own honour^ or 
to the happiness of their peoplel" Very honourable, 
indeed, must be the character of that Monarch, who 
is an adulterer; and great the happiness of his people, 
especially of those, who are intelligent and virtuous^ 
when they find this to be his character. " The moment, 
when a nation most dreads, and abhors, the dominion 
of a mistress, is when they see in it the result of luxu- 
rious habits, rather than of passion; the feverish 
want of a decayed constitution, rather than the honest 
demands of nature ami imagination,^'' Lewdness 
then, it seems, thtit putrefaction of the human mind; 
that sin of Sodom; that sili, to pour upon which the 
vengeance of an angry God, an angel summoned from 
heaven a storm of fire and brimstone, and emptied its 
terrible magazines of destruction upon that abandon- 
ed city; lewdness, raised to the infamous excess of 
adultery; lewdness, changed into an incurable habit 
of adultery; faced with bronze; and, in an open, 
shameless concubinage, proclaiming to the world it« 
indelible, and hopeifess infamy;" is, What? "The hon- 
est demands of nature and imagination." Such is 
the decision of this Reviewer of Sodom. What is the 
sentence of his Creator? Of the stransce woman he 
says, "None, that go in unto her, turn again; neither 
take they hold of the paths of life." 

Surely, Sir, these declarations of Mr. Jeffrey could 
have come from the mouth oi no man, except a de- 
scendant from this ancient and honourable family. 
The brute must have predominated, in the writer, 
over the man; and held the pen, as well as controuled 



182 Ji^ff^'^y ^"c/ Lord Byron. 

the heart, when this effusion of animalism was pour- 
ed out upon the world. 

I have some knowledge of this man, Sir. He fdr- 
nierly wrote a criticism on Lord Byron^s "Hours of 
Idleness," in which are found the following observa- 
tions. 

"The poesy of this young Lord belongs to the class, 
which neither Gods nor men are said to permit. In- 
deed, we do not recollect to have seen a quantity of 
verse, with so few deviations from that exact stand- 
ard. His effusions are spread over a dead jiat^ and 
can no more gel above or below the level, than if they 
were so much stagnant tcaterJ' 

Again. "With this view ice must beg leave seri- 
ously to assui^e him, thai the mere rhyming of the 
final syllable, even when accompanied by the presence 
of a certain number of feet; nay, although (which 
does not ahVays happen) those feet should scan 7'egu- 
larly, and have been all accurately counted on the fin- 
gers — is not the whole art of poetry. We should en- 
treat him to believe, that a certain portion of liveli- 
ness, somewhat of fancy, is necessary to constitute a 
poem; and that a poem in the present day, to be read, 
must contain at least one thought, either in a little de- 
gree different from the ideas of former writers, or 
differently expressed" 

And again. "But whatever judgment may be pass- 
ed on the poems of this noble minor, it seems we must 
take them as we find them: for they are the last we 
shall ever have from him." [Poor Jeffrey! Happy, 
thrice happy wouldest thou have been, had thy pre- 
diction been fulfilled.] "Therefore we must take 
what we get, and be thankful. What right have we, 
poor devib, to be nice? We are well off to have got 



Lord Byron and Jeffrey. IS-J 

flo much from a man of this Lord's station, who does 
not live in a garret, but "has the sway" of Newstead 
Abbey. Again, we say, Let us be thankful; and 
with honest Sancho, bid God bless the giver, nor look 
the gift-horse in the mouth." 

But alas! Lord Byron would not let the prophecy 
be fulfilled. In an ill-omened hour, when, I presume, 
the Raven was heard to flap his wing; and the 
Screech-Owl, lodged in the hollow of some oracular 
oak, uttered her shrill and melancholy cries; the No- 
ble bard, moved by Jeffrey's evil genius, wrote the 
following cauterizing verses. 

•'Health to immortal Jeffrey t once, in name, 
England could boast a judge almost the same, 
In soul so like, so merciful, yet just, 
Some think that Satan had resigned his trustj 
And given the spirit to the world again. 
To sentence letters, as he sentenced men. 
With hand less mighty, but with heart as blacky 
With voice, as willing to decree the rack; 
Bred in the court betimes, though all, that law 
As yet hath taught him, is to find a flaw. 
Since well instructed in the patriot school 
To rail at party, though a party tool, 
Who knows? if chance his patrons should restore 
Back to the sway, they forfeited before, 
His scribbling toils some recompense may meet: 
And raise this Daniel to the judgment seat. 
Let Jeffries' shade indulge the pious hope, 
And greeting thus, present him with a rope: 
"Heir to my virtues! man of equal mind! 
Skiird to condemn, as to traduce Mankind, 
This cord receive! for thee rescrv'd with care, 
To wield in judgment, and at length to wear." 

"Health to ^reaX Jeffrey! Heaven preserve his lite,. 
To flourish on the fertile shores of Fife^ 
18 



134 Lord Byron and Jeffrey. 

And guard it sacred in his future wars, 
• Since authors sometimes seek the field of Marsf 
Can none remember that eventful day, 
That ever glorious, almost fatal fray, 
When Little's leadless pistol met his eye, 
And Bow-street myrmidons stood laughing by? 
OhI day disastrous! on her firm-set rock, 
Dunedin's castle felt a secret shock; 
Dark rolled the sympathetic waves of Forth, 
Low groan'd the startled whirlwinds of the North, 
Tweed ruffled half his waves to form a tear, 
The other half pursued its calm career; 
Arthur''^ steep summit nodded to its base, 
And surly Tolbooth scarcely kept her place; 
The Tolbooth felt, for marble sometimes can. 
On such occasions feel as much as man— 
The Tolbooth felt defrauded of her charms, 
1^ Jeffrey died, ejfcept within her arms; 
Nay, last not least, on that portentous morn 
The sixteenth story, where himself was born, 
His patrimonial garret fell to ground, 
And pale Edina shuddered at the sound. 
Strew'd were the streets around with milk-white reamsi 
Flowed all the Canon-gate with inky streams; 
This of big candour seemed the sable dew; 
That of his valour show'd the bloodless hue; 
And all with justice deem'd the two combin'd 
The mingled emblems of his mighty mind. 
But Caledonia's goddess hovered o'er 
The field, and saved him from the wrath of Mooref 
From either pistol snatched the vengeful lead, 
And straight restored it to her favourite's head.' 
The head, wiih greater than magnetic power, 
Caught it as Danae caught the golden shower. 
And, though the thickening dross will scarce refine, 
Augments it's ore, and is itself a mine. 
*'My son," she cried, "ne'er thirst for gore again, 
Resign the pistol, and resume the pen; 
O'er politics and poesy preside; 
'^oast of thy country, and Brittannia's gujdsl 



Lord Byron and Jeffrey, 135 

For long as Albion's heedless sons submit, 
Or Scottish taste decides on English wit, 
So long shall last thine unmolested reign, 
Nor any dare to take thy name in vain." " 

What was the consequence of this stinging applica- 
tion to the sensibilities of the redoubtable Reviewer? 
Learn it from his own words, in a subsequent Review 
on "Broughton's Letters from a Mahratta Camp:" 
October, 1813. 

"To publish verses is become a sort of evidence, 
that a man wants sense: which is repelled not by 
writing good verses, but by writing excellent verses; — 
by doing what Lord Byron has done; — 6y displaying 
talents, great enough to overcome the disgust, which 
proceeds from satiety, and showing that all things may 
become new under the reviving touch of genius?^ 

Pray, Sir, what do you think, was the reason of 
this wonderful change? Whence was it, that a Poet, 
whose effusions were spread over a dead flat, and 
could no more get above or below the level than if 
they had been so much stagnant wafer" all at once 
*^possessed talents, great enough to overcome the dis' 
gust, which proceeds from satiety, and showed that 
all things may become new under the reviving touch 
of Genius?" The answer to these queries is at hand. 
The Noble Poet had brandished his cat-o'-nine tails 
with such force and dexterity, that this descendant 
of the ancient family feels the tingling to the present 
hour. Rely upon it, Sir, there was never one of this 
breed, who could be operated upon, to any valuable 
purpose, in any other manner. Insolent, and abusive, 
to all other men; barking at every stranger, whom 
they see; they will instantly drop their ears, and 



136 Jeffrey a man of Consideration. 

smooth their shag, at the sight, and peculiarly under 
the administration, of a switch. 

When this man, (I would fain call him a gentle- 
man if I could do it with a clear conscience,) was in 
the United States, a little while since, having with Mr. 
Madison the reputation of being a thorough-going 
Jacobin, he was permitted to charter a ship, and re- 
turn with it to Europe: a privilege, repeatedly refused 
by our liberal minded Government to native Ameri' 
cans^ of unimpeachable character. On board this 
ship Col. Barclay proposed to send back to their na- 
tive country a number of Briiish prisoners. His 
right to do this was not disputed by our Champion; 
but he insisted, that he himself would select the per- 
sons. The Consul coolly told him, that this could not 
be permitted; but that they must be received accord- 
ing to their equitable claims* Our Reviewer replied 
by way of answer to Col. Barclaifs declaration; *'Sir, 
I am a man of Consideration in my own country. 
In my own country, Sir, I am a man of Considera- 
tion." 

I did not for some time conjecture what was the 
meaning of this interesting declaration. I knew that 
our Champion was a lawyer by profession, and 
thought, that, perhaps he might be a lawyer of some 
eminence. But Lord Byron has said, and it is pre- 
sumed, that no man, within the reach of his cat-o'-nine- 
tails, will dare to deny it; certainly not our Reviewer— 



."All, thai law 



As yet hath taught him, is to find a flaw." 

In this quandary I alighted upon the story of our 
Eeviewer*s duel with Anacreon Moore, alluded to in 



Jeffrey a man of Consideratmi, 137 

the quotation above; which dispelled my perplexity at 
once. These two Champions of the quill, it seems, 
after a most chivalrous rencontre with their proi^er 
weapons, and making most formidable discharges of 
ink at each other, resolved to try their luck with 
weapons, in the use of which they were not such vete- 
rans. Accordingly, they appeared one morning at 
Chalk Farm; each with a brace of pistols. The Bow' 
street officers, havi4ig smelt the rat, were on the ground 
almost as soon, as the champions; and stayed, rudely 
I presume, all further proceedings. These interlopers 
had the curiosity to examine the pistols, and found 
them absolutely bulletless. "Now, Sir, it was "con- 
sideration" only; (I protest against every suspicion, 
that it was want of courage;) I say it was ''considera- 
tion" only, that induced Mr. Jeffrey and Mr. Moore 
to fight a duel without bullets. 

Thus, Sir, our Reviewer was "a man of Considera- 
tion in his own country:" and, had he fought a duel 
here; he would undoubtedly have been "a man of Con- 
sideration," also, in the United States. 

I will close my business with Mr. Jeffrey, for the, 
present, by subjoining one more quotation from Lord 
Byron. It is from the Postscript to his "English Barde^ 
and Scotch Reviewers." As Mr. Jeffrey has long 
since determined, that the Americans are destitute of 
genius, he certainly cannot find fault with us lor mak- 
ing the best use we can of British genius, in our owrx 
defence. "My northern friends," says his Lordship^ 
"have accused me, with justice, of personality towards 
their great literary Anthropophagus. Jeffrey; but what 
else was to be done with him, and hisdirt^y pack, who 
feed by "lying and slandering," and s'ake their thirst 
by "evil speaking?" 1 have stated facts already wel^ 



ioS Language of the United Stated. 

known, and of Jeffreifs mind, I have stated my free 
opinion: nor has he thence sustained any injury, 
IVhat scavenger was evei"" soiled by being pelted with 
mud?'' 

Your next attack, after quoting a paragragh in 
the New England Palladium, advertising a stolen 
book;* and making a few observations upon the im- 
propriety of garbling edition^ of your books, and alter- 
ing some of your plays, so as to suit the American 
taste; is upon the Language of the United States. 
By the way, do none of your countrymen ever steal 
books? If they do not; and we are to believe ^^Col- 
quhowi's Police of London''^ and his '-Police of the 
Thames;^' books are the only things, which some or 
other of them do not steal. Here you accuse us of 
forming projects to get rid of the English language; 
*'not," you say, '-merely by barbarizing it, but by abol- 
ishing it altogether, and substituting a new language of 
our own." As specimens, you inform us, that "one per- 
son had recommended the adoption of the Hebrew; and 
another, a Scotchman, of the name of Thornton, had 
projected to murder the English orthography by turn- 
ing the e topsy-turvy, dotting the i underneath, and 
adding a few pothooks and ladles, &c." Pray, Sir, 
do you think this story was worth telling? Do you 
believe the application of it to the people of the United 
States just? if not; can you vindicate yourself from 
the charge of dishonesty in insinuating, that they were 
concerned in such a project? From you have I first 
learned the existence of either of those projects: and I 
presume, that ninety-nine, out of a hundred, and 

* Were I to glean the English character from the Lo7idon newspapers, by 
plckin.s; out the scandalous articleSj ;t would shame evcu blander herself to 
repeat U. 



Language of the United States. 139 

more probably nine hundred and ninety-nine, 6ut of 
a thousand, Americans, never heard of either. 

Are there no foolish projects in Great Briiainf 
Did not good Bishop Wilkins project a scheme to 
fly? And are there not other Scotchmen, beside 
Thornton, who have acted like fools? Why, because 
this stupid Scotchman crossed the Atlantic, and had no 
more sense than to publish these effusions of weakness 
here, are his silly dreams to be imputed to the people of 
the United States. We are as little disposed to change 
our language as you can be. 

But you charge us with making some woj'ds, and 
using others in a peculiar sense; and recite a short 
list, belonging to both these classes. Among others 
the word, guess, which has been mentioned by almost 
every Englishman, who has undertaken to criticise 
on our speech. To the first mention of it, or even the 
second, or third, I had no objection. The hundredth 
became wearisome. We use the word, guess, exactly 
as you do; with this single exception; that a moderate 
number of our vulgar people employ it as a cant word; 
and with full as much propriety, as vulgar English- 
men, and not a small number, who would disdain to 
be reckoned, among the vulgar, use damned and 
devilish. 

But "the President of Yale College talks of a confla- 
graiivc brand, and President Jefferson, of beliUling 
the froductions of nature.'''' Be it so. The members 
of your Parliament, on the floor of debate, use the dig- 
jiified words, diddled and gullibility. 

We retain some words, which you have dropped , 
and you retain some, which we have dropped. We itave 
piade a small number oj new ones. You have made 



140 



JLanguage ofihe City of London. 



ten times more. Have not we the same rights in this 
respect, as you? If we: have not; where is the proof? 

On this suhject you have been ihe wa«,and we, 
ihe Lion, in the fable. The painting, which is intend- 
ed to prove your superiority, and our degradation, has 
hitherto been done by you. It is time, that the pencil 
had changed hands; and that justice should, at least in 
a single instance, be done to us. 

The natives of the city oi London may be supposed 
to use English as well, at least, as your people at 
large. Take the following specimens of their English 
from Pegge^s Anecdotes of the English Language* 

They say 



Wulgularity for 

Necessuated 

Curosity 

Unpossible 

Leastwise 

Shay 

Po-shay 

Aggravate 

A conquest (of people) 

Commandement 

Attackted 

Gownd 

Partender 

Bachelder 

Obstropolous 

Argufy 

Scrupulosity 

Common- Garden 

Pee-aches 

Kingsington 

Kiver 



Vulgarity, 

Necessitated^ 

Curiosity, 

Impossible, 

At least, 

Chaise, 

Post chaise, 

Irritate, 

A concourse. 

Commandment 

Attacked, 

Gown, 

Partner, 

Bachelor, 

ObstreperouSj 

Signify, 

Scruple, 

Covent-gai'deK; 

Piazzas, 

Kensington, 

Cover- 




Language of the 


City of London. 


Daater for 


Daughter, 


Saace 


Sauce, 


Saacer 


Saucer, 


Saacy 


Saucy, 


Chimly 


Chimney, 


Perdigipus 


Prodigious, 


Progidy 


Prodigy, 


Contagious 


Contiguous, 


For fraid of, instead of 


For fear of, 


Duberous 


Dubious, 


Musicianer 


Musician^ 


Squits 


Quit, 


Pillord 


Pilloried, 


Scrowdge 


Crowd, (the verb. 


Squeedge 


Squeeze, 


To Anger (a verb) 


To make angry, 


Whole-tote 


The whole, 


Vernon 


Venom, 


Vemonous 


Venomous, 


Sermont 


Sermon, 


Verment 


Vermin, 


Palaretic 


Paralytic, 


Postes and posteses 


Posts, 


Sitti-ation 


Situation, 


Portingal 


Portugal, 


Somewheres 


Somewhere, 


Oftens 


Often, 


Nowheres 


Nowhere, 


Mislest 


Molest, 


Scholard 


Scholar, 


Regiment 


Regimen, 


Contrary 


Contrary, 


Howsomdever 


However, 


W.hatsomdever 


Whatever, 


19 





141 



14& Language of the City of London, 



SticcessfoHy for 


Successively, 


Mayoraltry 


Mayoralty, 


Admiraltry 


Admiralty, 


Commonality 


Commonalty, 


Properietor, owner 


Proprietor, 


Non-plush'd 


Non-plus'd, 


Unbethought 


Recollected, 


Discommode 


Incommode, 


Colloguing 


Colleaguing, 


Docity 


Docility, 


Drownded 


Drowned, 


Despisable 


Despicable, 


An-otomy 


A Skeleton, 


Paragraft 


Paragraph, 


Stagnated 


Stagger'd, 


Disgruntled 


Offended^ 


Kuinated 


Ruin'd, 


Solentary 


Solitary, 


Ingeniously 


Ingenuously, 


Eminent danger 


Imminent danger. 


Intosticated 


Intoxicated, 


Perwent 


Prevent, 


Skri midge 


Skirmish, 


Refuge 


Refuse, 


Nisi prisi 


Nisi prius, 


Taters 


Potatoes, 


Vocation 


Vacation, 


Luxurious 


Luxuriant, 


Loveyer 


Lover, 


Humourous 


Humoursome,. 


Potteoary 


Apothecary, 


Nyst and Nyster 


Nice, and Nicer, 


Clost and Closter 


Close, and Closer, 


Sinst 


Since, 



Language of the City of London. 143 



Wonst for 

Industerous 

Sot 

Frags, i. c. 

Character 

Moral 

Jocotious or Jecotious 

Hisn, Hern 

Ourn, Yourn 

The t'other 

Every wheres, 

Any-wheres, 

Any-hows, 

Some-hows, 

No-hows, 

Nolus bolus for 



Once, 

Industrious, 

Sat, 

Fragments, 

Character, 

Model, 

Jocose, 

His. and Her's, 

Ours, and Your^ 

The other. 



Nolens volens. 



Add to these weal for veal, wincgar, wictuals, &c; 
and vicked, vig, vind, veather, &c; neighbour\voo(t, 
widowwood, knightwood; and a great multitude of 
others. 

Such, Sir, is the language, daily uttered in the Me- 
tropolis of Great Britain. "But then," says Mr. 
Pegge^ "every body understands the meaning of the 
Londoners, and their language is not like the unintel- 
ligible gabble of nine tenths of the provincial inhabit- 
ants of the remoter parts of England, which none but 
the natives can understand. Bring together two clowns 
from Kent and Yorkshire, and I will wager a ducat, 
that they will not be able to convei'sc, for want of a 
dialect, common to them both." 

Such is the account, which a man perfectly versed 
in this^eubjcct, gives in a letter to a brother Antiquari- 



144 Reviews published in Great Britain. 

an. Its correctness you will not dispute. How great 
a part of the English nation must speak miserable 
English: For Yorkshire and Kent are not the only 
counties, which furnish specimens of unintelligible 
gabble. Your West-country dialect is still worse than 
those of these two counties. 

In the United States there is not, I presume, a de- 
scendant of English ancestors, whose conversation is 
not easily, and perfectly intelligible to every other: and 
nothing like a dialect can be found in this country, un- 
less you call by this name the German, Dutch, and 
other foreign languages, still spoken by the Colonists, 
derived from those nations. 

Are you not ashamed, then, with these facts before 
you, with this barbarous jargon sounding in your ears, 
whenever you walk through the streets of London, 
and with a full knowledge of the unintelligible gabble 
of nine tenths of your provincial inhabitants, in the 
parts of England remote from London, to talk with so 
much parade about our blunders? Were you to spend 
your life in this country, you would be unable to make 
such a collection, as that which is here given by Mr. 
Pegge: and nothing, remotely resembling the language 
ascribed by this author to your provincial inhabitants, 
can be found in this country. 

I will now, Sir, proceed to the consideration of one 
subject more, and will then finish my remarks; and 
that is the Reviexi's published in Great Britain. 

"It would, however, be an act of injustice to our 
readers," says a judicious writer in the Picture of 
London, published in 1807, "were we to omit to no- 
tice in this place the gross abuse of public Confidence, 
and the imposition on credulity, systematically prac- 
tised by the Revlexcs, and other anonymous periodical 



Bet lews published in Great Britain. lib 

works, which pretend to give critical opinions on 
the merit, or dement, of new Publications. 

"While these professed Oracles of literature spoke 
ilie language of good manners, and confined their 
observations to honest i^emarks on the contents of the 
books, which they affected to notice, they deserved a 
qualified portion of public confidence; but the race of 
Scur%nlity, in which they have lately begun to emu- 
late each other, and the Insults, which they add ressio 
the persons, and private characters, of Authors, 
have rendered them at once a disgrace to the moral 
character of the country; a gross Abuse of the libera 
ties of the press; a scourge of genius; and a Nuis 
ance to litei^ature,^^ 

"On ordinary occasions it would be sufficient, to 
refute calumny, to state, that tlie author of it lurked in 
concealment; but the public have been so long impos- 
ed upon by anonymous critics, and anonymous criti- 
cism has so long been received without suspicion by 
the unthinking, that it will be necessary to pursue 
these Critical Assassins to their Retreats, and to ex- 
hibit clear and correct views of the description of per- 
sons, among whom they are to be found." 

"We shall, in the first instance, mention as a point 
of fact, which no person can honestly controvert, that 
every oni of the Reviews published, with perhaps not 
more than a single exception, is the Property, or in 
the pay, of some Bookseller; and is carried on for 
the sole purpose of praising all his own Publications, 
and of damning, and 'vilifying all those which he con 
siders as interfering with his interests. 

"The pretended criticisms, which appear in these 
anonymous publications, thus improperly and corrupt 
ly influenced, are fabricated in soine of the followint^ 



146 lieviews puhlished in Great Britain. 

ways, or under the influence of some of the following 
abuses. 

"1st. By rival authors. — Persons, who have them- 
selves written on the subject, treated in a new book, 
which is to be noticed, being supposed by the conduc- 
tors of Reviews to understand the point better than 
mere general scholars, are frequently employed to re- 
view works in such circumstances. This is the hesty 
and perhajjs the most impartial, judgment which an 
author ever obtains; and a Critique by a writer on 
the same subject always commands in the arrangement 
of a Review a place of distinction. It need scarcely be 
stated, that an author seldom undertakes to write an 
anonymous critique on a rival publication, who at the 
same time is not unprincipled enough to vent all his 
envy and malice against the book, and the person, of 
his rival; mean enough, also, to quote his own work, 
with applause; and impudently contrast it with the 
new one. One, at least, of such articles appears in 
every Review, that is published; but it generally car- 
ries with it characteristic marks of jealousy and alarm, 
which render it easy to be singled out by readers of 
ordinary discernment. 

"2. By literary Adventurers, lately arrived in 
London from the Provinces; or by youths from some 
Scotch University. — Young men, who persuade them- 
selves, that their great talents can only have adequate 
display in the Metropolis, often arrive in London, 
without any honest means of obtaining a livelihood; 
and, as a first resource, tender their service to some 
Baokseller, who publishes a Review. Here their 
stock of Latin and Greek is generally placed in requi- 
sition; and, till a more honourable mode of existence 
presents itself, these striplings hire themselves, at two 



Reviews published in Great Britain. 147 

or three guineas per printed sheet of 16 pages, to write 
opinions on all manner of subjects; and under the 
mask of the important, and oracular, "WE" make 
the credulous part of the public believe them qualified 
to insult every man of genius and learning in the 
cotmtry. 

"3. By bankrupt Authors; the Inmates of Netc- 
gate, the Fleet, and the King^s bench. Half of the 
anonymous Criticisms, which appear, are written in 
the Prisons of the Metropolis. Some Reviews havr 
been solely written, and conducted, by knots of impris- 
oned critics. No method of supporting existence in 
confinement is more easy, and more common, than 
the business of reviewing. It lately happened, that, 
during several months, the editors of two rival Re- 
views chummed together in one room in the Fleet 
prison; and by their respective eftbrts produced two 
critical journals of great authority among the opposite 
partizans of Aristocracy and Democracy: The late 
Dr. Bisset, who in the last years of his life had the 
misfortune to pass several months in the King's bench 
prison, boasted to the writer of this article, and to 
some other friends, that he could produce two sheets, 
or earn six guineas in a single day by reviewing; and 
that, as he had interest to obtain the insertion of dif- 
ferent articles, relative to the same book, in various 
reviews, he could rely on an income from these la- 
bours of full six guineas per week during his confine 
ment. One of his friends, who was not before in the 
secret of this trade, exclaimed, "But how can you read 
the books. Doctor; so as to write two sheets of criti- 
cism on them in a day?" "JKead the books, man?'' 
said the Doctor; "rearf them? JVhy do you think a r? 



148 Reviews published in Great Britain. 

viewer reads the hooks? That shews you know noth- 
ing about the matter.""* 

"4. By personal Friends, or Enemies, of the differ- 
ent Authors. — Tlie system of anonymous reviewing 
renders every review a masked battery, which is play- 
ed according to the party of those, who occupy it, 
either on an Author by his enemies, or on the public 
by his Friends. Any Author, who stoops to so 
wretched a degradation, may influence in his own fa- 
vour every criticism, that appears respecting his work, 
by Concessions, by Bribery, or by employing some 
known reviewer to tender his services for the occasion 
among the various reviews.f 

* If any corroboration of this point was requisite, in additioa to the statement, 
which will be found in the note, in page 153, an appeal, at proper opportunities, 
might be made to those, who have, professionally, a peep in some small degree 
behind the curtain. A Review is a constant laughing stock in the office, where it 
is printed. Let any journey-man printer, who has been some months employed 
on one, tell how many of the books, noticed in it, have passed through his hands, 
in which, actually, none of the leaves had been cut open, except the very passa- 
ges to be copied, the table of contents, and tlie index: or rather, what will be 
infinitely less troublesome to him, and may be comprised in a very tew recollec- 
tions, let him tell how many were not in that condition. Hence the eternal 
tJomplaints in Reviews, whenever a volume is published without an index, or a 
table of contents. 

The Reviewers are well acquamted with the remark made by I'jpe, 

"That index learning turns no student pale. 
But holds the eel of science by the tail." 

■\ A few months ago the loriteroj these remarks, who has himself played a prin- 
cipal pai't in this Farce of anonymous criticism, was applied to, on the following 
occasion, by an old friend, a physician in the west of England, who had some 
time previously published a medical work, of considerable merit and originality. 
Dr. ^1. had for several years practised in a large market town; and had secured 
the confidence of an extensive connexion. A young physician from Edinburgh, 
had lately settled in the same place; who, having previously passed a winter in 
iowf/on, had there continued his acquaintance with some young fellow students, 
■who from necessity had engaged themselves, at three guineas per sheet, to write 
in certain reviews. Dr. A. at the time of finding a competitor in this stripling, 
was engaged on the last chapter of a work, upon which he had been occupied, at 
intervals, for many years, and which was published in the following winter. The 
youth, who on account of the established reputation of Dr. A. had obtained little 
practite, rejoiced at the announcement of this work, as offering an opportunity, by 



Reviews published in Great Britain. 149 

"On the contrary, any virulent enemy of an Author 
may wreak his malice by communicating gratuitous 
criticisms to the Reviewers; some of whom do not 
scruple to receive, and insert, such articles from per* 

which he might avail himself of his reviewing connexion, so as to write down, 
and depreciate, the skill and science of Dr. A. He accordingly obtained from 
one of his friends a promise, that such articles, as he might send up, should be 
inserted in several of the Reviews. Dr. -i. who had for many yeai's unsuspect- 
ingly read the Reviews, as authorities not to be questioned, inspected tljcni with 
particular anxiety after the appearance of liis book. At length a number, which 
contained one of the articles written by his rival, fell in his way: and the worthy 
physician was overwhelmed with mortification to iiiul himself treated ai an Empiric, 
a Blockhead, and an HypothesiS'mouger; as one, whose patients, if he had any, 
were objects of pity; and who was himself to be pitied for the injury, he hail 
done himself and his family by such an exposure of his ignorance. It will be 
easier to conceive than to describe the mingled emotions of this worthy man, on 
finding himself so basely misrepresented; but let the reader imagine the anguish 
of his feelings, when one of his friends brought in a hand-bill, which had the sams 
morning been circulated through the neighbourhood, containing an extract from 
this very criticism, and referring to tiie review, published in London, as the au- 
thority. He found, that the Apothecary, in connexion willi tiie new Ph)sician, 
had been very industrious in this business; but he was too little acquainted with 
the arcana of anonymous criticism, to suspect who might be the author. Like an 
ingenuous man of btters, he printed a reply: but this only made his case the 
worse; for the dark insinuations, and the broad and coarse assertions, of his oon- 
oealed opponent were too strong, and too operative on the minds of tliose who 
read them, to be repelled by cool argument, and by the oixiinary language of a 
well educated gentleman. In the mean time a literary friend of the Doctor's, 
who knew something of the profligacy of criticism, convinced him, that the article 
respecting his book was the production of some enemy; and that it would proba- 
bly meet with similar treatment in some of the other Reviews, if he did aot exert 
himself to prevent it. It was therefore determined as the securest plan to avoid 
the mischief, that the Doctor should visit the Metropolis, and thi-ough the means 
of his friends there, obtain an introduction to the propiietors, and publishers, of 
the Reviews. The first place, he drove to, was the house of the narrator of 
these facts; and they spent two days in searching for, treating', and bribing, the 
hirelings, -who -vrite for, or superintend, those journals. The result was, that 
the Doctor obtained permission to send such accounts of his booh, as might be 
ivritteri by himself, or his immediate friends. The Doctor was now satisfied that 
the former article l»ad been the production of some enemy; and, though his soul 
revolted at the task, he had undertaken, yet his endeavour to defeat the malice of 
such a wretch stimulated him to proceed. In the course of the inquiry it appear- 
ed, that one of the new Reviews was already in possession nf an article, relative 
to the Doctor's book; and that the writer had treated it with great severity. Thi« 
information afibriled a clue for tlie discovery of the party; but the waiy editor 
could not be prevailed upon to shew the manuscript; nor to promise, that it 
should not be printed. The Doctor invited him to dinner at his hotel; treated 
him sumptuously; and, after the bottle had been freely circulated, the article wa« 
sent for: when, after what has been staled, the reader wDl not be siyprised at 

20 



IbO Reviews published in Great Britain. 

sons wholly unknown to them; and instances have 
occurred, in which with unblushing profligacy the re- 
ceipt of such anonymous criticisms has been thankfully 
acknowledged through the public Newspapers. 

"5. By the Authors becoming their own Reviewers. 
It may be affirmed without the hazard of denial, that 
in every number of (a) Review, that is published^ 
there is at least one article, written by an Author on 
his own work. As such criticisms never cost any 
thing; their insertion may frequently be obtained by a 
suitable application of the Author, or his friends. The 
proprietor himself, will, under certain circumstances, 
receive these full and able notices; but more commonly 
their admission is secured by the person, to whom the 
examination of the book has been assigned. The article 
itself values, in account with the proprietor, at a cer- 
tain number of pounds, shillings, and pence; and is 
thought by a hungry reviewer to be a good hit; espec- 
ially if accompanied by a bank note, or an invitation 
to dinner. 

"6. By traders in Criticism. — In London there are 
persons, who probably gain as much by composing 
separate critiques for all the Reviews on the same book, 
as the author who wrote it. A man of this descrip- 
tion is generally a smatterer in some particular art, or 
science; and, when a new book appears on his subject, 
if he be not applied to by the different conductors of 
Reviews, he generally tenders his services, which are 

learning, that the hand ■writing was that of the young physician, -who had for 
some time been the Doctor's insidious rival in the country. The manuscript was 
confided to the Doctor, on his promising to furnish another article of equal Icngtfi 
gratis; and undertaking to pay for fifty of the — — Review, for three months t» 
come, which he was to circulate, and recommend, in his county. On his return 
home, the Doctor's solicitor immediately commenced a course ol legal proceed- 
ings against the young Scotchman, who, finding that he was in the Doctor's power, 
agreed to leave that county, on their being discontinued. 



Reviews published in Great Br itain. \&i 

always accepted with thanks. Thus one and ike same 
person assumes a dozen Identities; and by varying 
his language and opinions, so as to meet the character, 
the views, and the party, of each of his employers, he 
praises, and censures, and blows hot and cold, in the 
same instant. Or perhaps a book of high price, or of 
considerable bulk, and erudition, makes its appearance; 
of which, at the common price of three or four guineas 
per sheet, a critic, who would live by his trade, could 
not repay himself for the cost, and for the labour of 
perusal, by a single criticism: he therefore accommo- 
dates various accounts of it to the passions, and parties, 
of the several Reviews; and thus the labours of the 
whole life of some learned and ingenious authors are 
wholly at the mercy of this wholesale dealer in criti* 
cism; perhaps an unprincipled and malicious charac- 
ter; who, if known to the world, would be the last 
man living, whose opinion would be received as an 
authority on this, or any other subject whatever. 

"7. By Contracting Critics, Master Critics, or those 
who r&oiew by the lump. — Several of the reviews, to 
save trouble to the proprietors and publishers, are un- 
dertaken, or contracted for, by one person, at so much 
per sheet; and this man stands engaged either to write 
the entire Review himself, or to get it written by 
others. Delegations, two or three deep, are verycoin- 
mon in this species of criticism. The contracting 
critic receives, himself, perhaps after the rate of seven 
guineas per sheet; but in paying his journeymen for 
occasional aid he gives but three or four guineas. 
The journeyman too employs a species of labourer ^ 
whose province it is to skim the book, prepare the 
general heads of the analysis, mark the extracts, &c. 
&c.: a business which is paid for by the job, or ae^ 
cording to tlie size of the book. 



153 Reviews published in Great Britain. 

*^8. By the profligate Calculations of the conduct- 
ors. — It is a maxim, which is constantly acted upoa 
in the management of a Review, that it will not please 
all palates, unless it be well seasoned; or, in the tech- 
nical language of the reviewing craft, "T/ie Review 
will not sell, unless a suffcient number of authorSf 
and their books, be regularly cut up" It becomes, 
therefore, part of the ordinary business of every con- 
ductor to take care, that there is no deficiency of 
Sauce; and to engage a few Miscreants, well versed 
in the language of Billingsgate. Accordingly, then, 
to the degree of honour and feeling, possessed by the 
conductor, or as the Review is falling or rising, in sale, 
it will be arranged, whether the proportion of half, a 
third, or a quarter, of the books, noticed in every num- 
ber, are to be vilifed. This direct ratio between the 
fall in sale, and scurrility of language; and between 
the rise in sale, and decency of language; furnishes 
data, by which any person may, by counting the arti- 
cles of each Character, calculate at any time the 
Healthiness, or the Decrepitude of any Review. 

"9. By the superficial view, which the hired, and 
anonymous, critic takes of the books, oj which he 
gives an opinion. — It is a fact, which will startle 
some readers of these observations, but which a little 
attention will confirm, that the persons who write the 
Monthly Catalogue in most of the Reviews, do not see 
half the books, which they characterize; but write 
their fiippant notices, solely from the advertisements 
in the newspapers. The present or former conduct- 
ors of certain reviews, may blush to see this "secret of 
their prison house" go forth to the world; but the wri- 
ter pledges himself to give names, and other particu- 
lars, ij t'ne fact, to the extent he has stated, should be 
contradicted. Let any person turn over the Monthlj: 



Reviews published in Great Britain, 153 

Catalogue of various Reviews for a few months, and 
he will not fail to be struck with the imposition, which 
has been practised on him; by observinj^. that much 
above half of the silly Paragraphs, whieh are append- 
ed to the titles of Pamphlets, and of the other works 
in this part, would apply with as much propriety to 
most other articles in the list, as to those to which they 
are assigned. I'his is so palpable, that no more need 
be urged to prove the existence of this flagrant abuse 
of the name of Criticism. It may, however, be worth 
while to explain, that, as reviewers are paid by the 
sheet, at the rate of three, four, five, or six guineas per 
sixteen pages, according to their professional capacity, 
and experience; and, as the articles in the Monthly 
Catalogue seldom exceed a few lines each, these would 
not produce, on an average, more than eighteen pence, 
or two shillings, a piece; and sometimes not half of 
the smallest of these sums. It is absurd, therefore, to 
suppose, that, if Reviewers mean to gain a livelihood, 
they take the trouble to read, or even to seek, such 
unproductive trash.* 

• A picture from the Vife -will illustrate this abuse better than a multitude of ob- 
servations. A principal Reviewer, possessed of more learning than prudence, 
had been surrendered by his bail to the custody of the Marshal of the Fleet. 
From one of the Attics of that Dormitory of disappointed enterprise, he address- 
ed himself to hispid Friend, the bookseller in Paternoster-rOw; who, knowing his 
talents, and fearing his resentment if neglected, sent a packet of eight or ten 
new publications for the next month's Review. The Critic, who always compos- 
ed through the medium of an Amanuensis, caused au inquiry for one to be made 
in the prison; and presently a young man Mas enlisted in his service, mIio was 
not devoid of intelligence, but hitherto a total stranger to the Mysteries, in which 
he was speedily to be initiated- He seated Himself with his pen in his hand; when 
the Reviewer untii;d the parcel of books; and, taking up a handsome Quarto, 
read the title page; and, giving the volume to tlic Amanuensis, desired him to 
copy the title. While this was performing, he took several turns in the room; and, 
having two or three times asked impatiently whether the title was finished, he or- 
dered the Amanuensis to write. He then dictated an opening paragraph of con- 
siderable length; in which he abused without mercy the self-conceit of the Author 
in supposing himself qualified for such an undertaking; enumerittcd the attempts, 
that had been made by various other Persons in the same species of wrKlng; as- 
^ibed this W^ork i^ Qvervveening Vanity, &c. &c. The Amanuensis was struck 



154 Reviews pitblished in Great Britain, 

"Accordingly, the fact is, that this department of the 
review is committed to persons, kept on the establish- 
menty as the manufacturing expression is; who are 
paid a small monthly allowance, (four or five guin- 
eas,) for executing it; which is divided among them, 
if more than one are employed; and is issued regular- 
ly, in weekly portions, by the bookseller, every Mon- 
day morning; being then frequently sent to some gaol, 

■with surprise: for he perceived that not a leaf of the book had been opened; and 
was sensible, that the Dictator had not, till that moment, seen the work. He was 
however staggered in this supposition, when he again heard himself commande«[ 
to write as follows: — "The ensuing passages alone will satisfy our readers of the 
justice of these conclusions; but if we choee to multiply examples of presumption 
and absurdity, we could fill our number with the dull conceits of this blockhead!" 
The Reviewer now took up the volume, to seek for the passages, which were to 
answer this prejudication, turned over its preface rapidl)', and muttered: "T/i?s 
Jellow's determined to give one all the trouble, he can — JVo contents I see! — 
Index perhaps? JVor that neither! — Dies hard; but must be damned for all 
that." — He then angrily turned over the leaves from beginning to end; read the 
iieads of some of the chapters; and at length exclaimed, "Yes, I have it. Write, 
Sir. Begin page 273, "At the same instant, that," to 278, at "hitherto proceed- 
ed."** Now with the rapidity of lightning opening the volume further on, 
•♦Write," he resumed, "This opinionated gentleman, not satisfied with differing 
from every writer, who has preceded him, from Aristotle to liousseav, has 
chosen to refute all his own doctrine by the following whimsical positions. Peace 
to his spirit! We hope never to wade tlirough such aaother Augean stable; but 
tong-suftering is the lot of our fraternity. — Begui page 417, "with this view," to 
page 420, at "broad basis." And again, page 432, "It is well known," to page 
435, at "indispensably necessary." We should have pitied the unfortunate pub- 
lisher who ignorantly embarked his money in this wretched performance, if the 
fellow had not the impudence to fix the price of three half guineas on a volume, 
■which, ajter a patient examination, we can pledge ourselves, is not ivorth three 
farthings." Thus ended the Review of this work, which has since passed 
through several Editions; and the time, spent in this fatiguing and patient inves- 
tigation, -was exactly/ tiventy-Jive mirmtes. 

The Reviev.'er now took up tlve next book; which he praised as extravagantly, 
as he had abused the otlier; and thus proceeded through the parcel, cutting open 
not more than twenty pages of the whole, and praising, and damning, as his 
Caprice, or some secret Feeling, suggested; or just as it seemed to suit the hu- 
mour of the moment. The time, spent in thus characterixing, in dogmatical 
and vehement language, ttvo Quartos, five Octavos, two Duodecimos, and t~,vo 
Pamfiiilets, -was about two hoiirs and h.''f' The Amanuensis, on turning af- 
terwards to the highly reputed Review, in which these elaborate criticisms •were 
displayed, found, that thet/ oceupied one third of the JVumber! He declined any 
fui'ther participation in so disgraceful an employment, and has since communicated 
the above Facts to various persons, and among others to the writer of these re- 
marks,- 



JReviews published in Great Britain. 153 

like the creditors' sixpences, which become due on that 
day; or given to some of the upper assistants in the 
booksellers' shops, who are sometimes employed at 
this business in their spare hours. Such being a cor- 
rect description of the persons, and the practices, of 
those who write anonymous criticisms, is it to be 
wondered at, that these people uniformly deny their 
craft; and that a greater insult cannot be offered to 
one of these pioneers of Grubstreet, than to insinuate, 
that he writes for any review? Not only is the prac- 
tice disavowed by the whole fraternity, but if you 
knew a man to be a scribbler in reviews, and were to 
ask if he wrote an article, in itself meritorious, he 
would deem even this an insult, never to be forgiven! 
It is true that some reviewers are well known: but 
these are generally either young in the trade, and not 
yet acquainted with the infamy, attached to it; or 
coxcombs, whose vanity supersedes every other feel- 
ing. Boys at school, and half informed people in the 
country, consult these oracles with so much unsus- 
pecting credulity, that a Stripling from a Scotch Uni- 
versity, who is admitted to perform the lowest offices 
in these Temples of Imposition, considers himself as 
having become part of the Godhead, and gives him- 
self Airs accordingly.* 

"There is, however, one class of men, who give occa- 
sional countenance to Reviewers without intending the 
mischief, Vv hich they thus assist in perpetrating. These 
are certain vain Pedants at our Vuixersities; who, 
knowing little of the world, consider Reviews as ex- 
actly what they appear to be; and having no readier 
means of displaying their knowledge of particular sub= 

* A certain JKorthern lieview is now Mi-itten chiefly in London by young men, 
■who have but just finished their attendance on their University Lccliues; and 
the olttest of tliera is said not to exceed five and t^venty years of ag'c. 



156 Reviews published in Great Britain. 

jects are often flattered by having some abstruse Work 
committed to them by the conductor of the Review. 
Tickled by this kind of compliment, they cannot con- 
ceal it from certain intimates, who circulate the fact in 
the university, that Dr. writes for the - — Re- 
view; and thus half the world are led to suppose, that 
Reviews are written, con amore, by men of real honour 
and learning. Professors in universities ought to be- 
ware of thus becoming the dupes of their vanity, by 
enlisting themselves among a race of impostors, as 
base and unprincipled as ever disgraced society. 
Their names, and their talents, ought to be reserved 
for worthier purposes, than that of giving countenance 
to hired, and anonymous defamation. 

"Conclusion. The obvious inference from all, that 
has been stated, is this; that the great Vice of Review- 
ing exists in the concealment of the Writers; and that, 
while anonymous Criticism is tolerated, it is impossible 
even for a conductor, who is a man of integrity, to 
guard against its corruptions, and its abuse. 

"^ learned and gentlemanly Critic would be able, 
though he signed his name to his criticism, to perform 
ample justice to an author, and the public. He could 
not adopt the impertinent, arrogant, and boasting style 
of the present contemptible race of Anonymous Re- 
viewers; but his Inferences and Opinions, would be 
received with Respect; the Public would be enlight- 
ened; and Error and Imposition would be corrected 
and exposed. Authors could assure themselves, that 
their books were seen, and read, before they were de- 
cided upon, and the public would appreciate justly the 
value of a decision, thus made, and thus guaranteed. 

*'Those, who contend that Critics, under such a sys- 
tem, dare not do their duty, either do not understand 
what is meant by the word Criticism; or do not con- 



Reviews published in Great Britain. 137 

bider what was the object of Reviews. Our essayists, 
from Addison to Cumberland and Knox, afford speci- 
mens of criticism, such as no Man could have cause to 
disown, and such as would always be received with 
avidity by the public. True literary Criticism in the 
hands of real Scholars is the opposite of every thing, 
that characterizes our modern Reviews; it never 
searches for personal anecdotes of Authors, or con- 
founds in its Disquisitions his Foibles, or Weaknesses, 
with the merits of his performance; it never magnifies 
blemishes, shuts its eye to beauties, becomes the tool of 
a party, either political or literary, misquotes, delights 
in abusive and violent epithets, or arrogates its own in- 
fallibility! It is, in a word, a liberal science, which no 
honest Man need be ashamed to exercise and avow; 
but in the hand of a concealed assassin if may be, (and 
unfortunately is,) converted to the most destructive 
and diabolical purposes. True Criticism, like Char- 
ity, "suffereth long and is kind; envieth not; vaunt- 
eth not itself; is not puffed up; d*oth not behave itself 
unseemly; seeketh not her own; (is not selfish;) is not 
easily provoked; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in in- 
iquity, but rejoiceth in the tiuth." 

"Yet as the vice exists chiefly in the anonymous 
character of the system, the moral views of the Con- 
ductor of every Review are not intended to be called 
in question. One or two of those gentlemen are 
known to be men of character; who would not wil- 
fully participate in the grosser Abuses of the reviewing 
trade: but those Abuses are too inherent in the system 
to be successfully guarded against; and as these gentle- 
men must be perfectly sensible of this Truth, it is a 
Duty which they owe to the world, to affix the numes 
of those, who write in their critical journals, to their 
respective articles, in order that the public may pos- 



158 Reviews published in Great Britain. 

sess the only Guarantee, which can be given of tliC 
candour and integrity of such Writers; and also that 
their journals may secure a continuance of that Confi- 
dence and Support, which has hitherto been unthink- 
ingly y and ignoraniiy, reposed in them."* 

*'The author of the preceding statement of fact* 
thinks it proper to add, that in drawing it up he has 
been solely actuated by a love of truth, a hatred of 
Imposture, and a sense of duty to the literary world, 
and the public. No honourable or conscientious Re- 
viewer (though the writer believes that few men of that 
character ca^ long continue the employment of writing 
anonymous opinions on others,) will be offended at this 
just exposition of the misconduct of those, who abuse 
their office. He hopes to live to see a reformation in 
the system; and that, if a respectable and independent 
body of literary characters cannot be persuaded to 

* "Next in importance to the newspapers are the works of periodical criticisto, 
■which are here called Revie-ws- Of late years it has becoVne impossible to place 
any reliance upon the opinions, given by these journals; hecause their party spirit 
now extends to every thing. Whatever be the object of a hook, though as remote 
as possible from all topics of pohtJcal dissention, it is judged of according to the poU 
itics of the author: for instance, one of these journals has pronounced it to be Jaco- 
binical to read Hebrew without points. There are other reasons, why there is so 
little fair criticism. Many, perhaps the majority, of these literary censors, are 
authors themselves; and as such in no very high estimation with the public. 
Baboons are said to have an antipathy to men and these, -who are the baboons of lit' 
erature, have the same sort of hatred to those, ivhose superiority they at once feel 
and duny. You are not, however, to suppose, that the general character of these 
journals is that of undeserved severity: they have as many to praise as to blame; 
and their commendations are dealt upon the same principle, or want of principle, 
as their censures. England is but a little country; and the communication between 
all its parts is so rapid, the men of letters are so few, and the circulation of soci- 
ety brings them all so often to London, as the heart of the system, that they are 
all directly, or indirectly, known to each other. A writer is praised because he is 
a friend, or a friend's friend; or he must be condemned for a similar reason. For 
the most part the praise of these critics is 7nilk and ivater, and their censure sour 
tmall beer. Sometimes, indeed, they deal in stronger materials; but then the oil, 
T>hich flattery lays on, it train oil, audit stinks: and the dirt -which Malevolence 
throws, is ordure; a7id it sticks to her oivn fingers ." Espriella. Letter 56. 

If Mr. Suuthey wrote the Review of Inchiquitij I request Itim to read this pas- 
•-^sge ia E^pricUa with attention. 



Reviews published in Great Britain. 159 

sanction a Review by their names, the public contempt 
^f anonymous and systematic scurrility will render it 
harmless and unprofitable." 

How greatly are mankind indebted to this frank, 
honest-hearted writer for these disclosures; for open- 
ing to the day-light this den of Cacus; and exhibiting 
the deformed beings which it contains; the robberies, 
which they perpetrate upon the reputation, the peace, 
and the principles of their fellow men; the foul spirit, 
hy which they are governed; and the fire and smoke 
poured out upon the world by these collections of 
banditti. What a story are W€ told, when we are in- 
formed by this Writer, that we are indebted to bank- 
rupts, and inmates of Newgate, the Fleet, and King's 
Bench prisons for half the anonymous criticisms, that 
is, for half of all, which is contained in the Reviews, 
published in Great Britian; and that some whole 
IVorks, under this name, have been solely written and 
conducted by knots of imprisoned critics: a set of 
scoundrels, whom the Justice of your country has 
driven from among mankind, and confined by bolts 
and grates. From such wretches what could a sober 
man expect but just such Reviews, as those, with which 
<^reat Britain deluges the world? I do not deny, that 
among these efforts there are now and then specimens 
of talents, and in a few instances of superiour talents; 
but those of candour, common honesty, and common 
decency are lamentably rare. Amid all the base re- 
flections, cast upon the people of the United States, for 
their destitution of understanding, {ind worth, in these 
dirty-minded effusions of spite and ribaldry, there is 
not one, half so humiliating, as the (sict,that the Edin* 
burgh and Quarterly Reviews arc republished in this 
country. 



160 Reviews published in Great Britain. 

Among the remarkable things, for which the world 
is indebted to this Writer, the information that these 
dictators in the empire of learnmg and taste do not 
even read the books which they professedly review. 
"JRead the books, manT^ said Dr Bisset to his friend; 
^^read them? Why do you think that a Reviewer reads 
the books? That shews, that you know nothing about 
the matter." I hope my own countrymen will re- 
member, that the accounts, so magisterially given in 
these receptacles of folly and falsehood concerning 
the various works, which they hash with so little de- 
cency, are given without reading the works them- 
selves; sentences, pronounced before the cause is ar- 
gued, the witnesses heard, or the prisoner even known, 
by a Jury, packed, bought, and perjured. How dif- 
ferent from all this are the fair, upright, and gentle- 
manly, Reviews, published in the Christian Observer, 

In the mean time, a great part of these efforts are, 
it seems, the panegyrics of the personal friends, or 
the invectives of the personal enemies, of the different 
authors reviewed. "Any author, who will stoop to so 
wretched a degradation, may influence in his own fa- 
vour every criticism, that appears respecting his 
work, by concessions, and by bribery." These volumes 
of iniquity are, therefore, partly made up of the despi- 
cable flattery of Toad-eaters, and partly of the snaky 
virulence of anonymous hatred, pouring out its vindic- 
tive malice from the burrow, in which it has hidden 
itself from the public eye. 

But this in not all. The author himself becomes 
his own Rtviewer. "It may be affirmed," says this 
respectable Writer, "without the hazard of denial, that 
m every number of a Review, that is published, there 
is at least one article, written by an ' author on his 
gwn Work.^^ Proh pudor! A pretty employment, in- 



« 



Be views published in Great Britain. 161 

deed. Tor a decent man to peruse a series of panegyr- 
ical observations upon a book, and to learn in the end, 
that they are the miserable, dishonest self-adulation of 
the author! 

Nor is this all. These literary journals are conduct- 
ed, to a considerable extent, by traders in Criticism; 
*who compose separate Critiques on the same book, for 
different Revieivs; praise and blame alternately ; 
blow hot and cold with the same mouth, and at the 
same instant; and, if known to the world, would be 
the last men living, whose opinion would be received 
as an authority on any subject whatever. 

Even all this is not enough. At all events, "the Re- 
view is to be well seasoned, and will not sell^ unless 
a sufficient number of authors, and their works, are 
cut up." Every conductor, it seems, as a part of his 
ordinary business ^'takes care, that there is no deficien- 
cy of sauce; and engages a ftw miscreants, who are 
well versed in the language of Billingsgate." You, 
Sir, have the honour of being supposed to be the Pat- 
ron of a Review. Permit me to ask how many of 
these miscreants you have engaged; or, if ?/oi« have not 
engaged them, and this part of the business is done by 
a conductor under your patronage (as from your 
character, and station, I own I am induced to believe,) 
does it not seem to you, that it is time, that these mis- 
creants were dismissed from their employment; at 
least that they should fight no longer behind your 
shield? 

A considerable portion of the criticism, published 
in these Journals, is usually made up in a batch, styl- 
ed the Monthly Catalogue. In the books named in 
this list, we are informed, ^'the Reviewers do not eveti 
see one half." This, indeed, is only of a piece witli 
the rest, and after what has been said demands nope- 
puliar censure. 



462 Reviews published in Great Britain. 

What a picture is here given of the literary Jour- 
nals of Great Britain? for the Edinburgh Review is 
plainly included in the author's list, by the note, which 
he has added concerning it; and has too many inter- 
nal proofs of belonging to this foul mass, to suffer a 
rational doubt of the justice of the inclusion, ^he 
whole story wears every mark of truth. The particu- 
larity, with which the iniquitous system is detailed, and 
the accordance of the several parts with each other, 
bear strong testimony to the truth of the representation. 
Besides, the Writer has openly defied a contradiction 
to his statement, and has promised, in answer to it, to 
give names, and other particulars. But no individu- 
al of this motley tribe has thought it proper to venture 
upon such dangerous ground. Until this shall be 
done, the account is to be admitted as true; and those, 
who are stigmatized by it, whether in prison, or oid 
of it, are to be regarded as a despicable clan of ma- 
rauders on the principles, the peace, and the happi- 
ness, of their fellow men. 

Now, Sir, permit me to ask to which of these class- 
es the Reviewer of Inchiquin's Letters belongs. Is he 
"<i literary Adventurer, lately arrived in London 
from the Provinces; or a Youth from som^ Scotch 
University^' Is he a ^^Bankrupt; an Inmate of the 
King's Bench, oj the Fleet, or of Newgate?" Is he *'a 
trader in Criticism; a Contracting critic; a Master 
critic;''^ who employs journeymen and apprentices in 
his business; one of those, ^^who review by the lump?"" 
Is he "rt Miscreant, well versed in the language of 
Billingsgate;" "a disgrace to the moral character of 
his country, and a nuisance to literature?" Or has 
he passed through all these gradations; rolled on 
through the slough of scandal; and contracted con- 
tinually more and deeper stains of baseness and prof- 



Reviews published hi Great Britain. 163 

ligacy? I will leave it to you, Sir, to answer these 
questions. 

The remarks, which I have proposed to make on 
this shameful production are finishe d. Indulge me now 
in a few observations concerning the system of con- 
tempt, and abuse, so generally pursued by Engliah 
travellers in this country, and reviewers in Great 
Britain. 

Let me ask you in the fust place, "Cui bono erilT^ 
This question is with particular propriety addressed to 
yoM, Sir; a man of talents, a professed patriot, and a 
statesman. This writer asserts, that the Americans 
indulge an intense hatred towards Great Britain. 
Whence is the assertion derived? Is the proof found 
in the war, which our Government has declared 
against yours? That our Government, independently 
of this act, is hostile to yours, there can be no reason- 
ble doubt, if by our Government we understand Mr. 
Madison and his minions. But even they did not 
declare war on this ground. Mr. Madison wanted a 
re-election. The Georgians wanted to lay hold on 
the FloridaSy that they might no longer be an asylum 
for their runaway slaves. The people of Tennessee 
wanted to get possession of the river Mobile. Those 
of Kentucky wanted to possess themselves of Indian 
lands; and those of Ohio wished to be delivered from 
the fear of savage incursions. The people of Virgin^ 
ia wished to preserve tiie reigning Dynasty, and to 
keep the throne in the regular Virginian succession. 
By all these, or by the leaders of all these, it was an- 
nounced to Mr. Madison, as I verily believe, that, un- 
less he would consent to the war, they would with- 
hold from him their suffrages. In the mean time their 
great friend, the Emperor Napoleon, was expected to 
drive Alexander from his throne, and to overrun lius- 



164 Reviews published in Great Britain, 

sia with French Myrmidons. The Continental sys- 
tem was to be carried into complete execution: Great 
Britain was to supplicate, and, if possible, obtain, 
peace from the French Emperor: and then all these 
sorts of men were to see themselves in full possession 
of their wishes. 

But a just and merciful God has frustrated the de- 
signs of them all. The whole project was iniquitous, 
and has been blasted. The Emperor Alexander tri- 
umphed over the monstrous force which invaded his 
country. The Duke of Wellington has delivered Spain 
and Portugal. The allies have redeemed Europe. 
Great Britain, at the end of a twenty-two years war, 
during a great part of which she has stood as a barrier 
against the ruin of the world, and has acquired more 
glory than she could ever boast before, sees herself in 
full possession of all her power and greatness. Even 
France, after suffering miseries which defy computa- 
tion, and leave the mind, which attempts to compre- 
hend them, lost in astonishment, is placed under a 
free and equitable system of government; and hence- 
forth may, if she pleases, be happy. In all this I, and 
millions of my countrymen, rejoice. 

But there is nothing in the American part of this 
story, which indicates any thing like a national hatred 
of Great Britain. Every part of it is a spot on our 
character, so far as we have been concerned in it: but 
the shame rests, chiefly, on a number of men, not very 
great; who have cheated into the adoption of it 
another number, which, I acknowledge, is much 
greater. 

Your Reviewer is perfectly aware, that the people 
of the United States are divided into two great political 
parties, spread almost evenly over the whole country. 
The Federalists, who are a decided majority in sev- 



Effects of Contempt and Ill-nature. 165 

en, if not in eight States, and are numerous in most 
of the others, totally exceed their antagonists in wealth, 
talents, reputation, and virtue. These men are, in this 
country, continually rcpioached by the Democrats for 
being friends to Great Britain. The charge is false in 
the sense, in which it is alleged: in a higher and more 
honourable sense it is true. While they are incom- 
parably better friends to their own country than the 
authors of the charge, they are firmer, and better 
friends to yours, than any equal collection of men in 
the world, not included in your own dominions. They 
have most cordially wished you success in your con- 
test with the enemy of mankind, and exult in your 
final victory. Your unjust, and unwise, measures to- 
wards this country; (for you have entered into many 
such measures;) they censure firmly: our injustice, and 
folly, towards you they reprobate still more severely, 
because they are more gross. But, while they know, 
that it is their first political duty to promote the pros- 
perity of their own country, it will require a train of 
injuries, on your part, to make them hostile^ or even 
indifferent, to that of Great Britain. 

Yet, it is undoubtedly possible by a series of efforts, 
suited to the purpose, to fritter away the good 
will of any man, or any nation, towards any other. 
In private life, contempt and ill nature will usually 
ax:complish this end within a moderate period. No 
alienations are more absolute than such, as are pro- 
duced by these means. The sting may be extracted; 
but the poison will be left behind, and will there ran- 
kle for a time, to which limits cannot be easily assign- 
ed. This ill nature, this contempt, have been poured 
upon the American people for several years in tor- 
rents of abuse and falsehood. Many of the publica- 
tions, in which they run, are issued again from our 
22 



16ff American Commerce. 

presses: and many more have been imported. Both 
are extensively read with answering contempt, and 
strong feelings of indignation. If you wish us to be 
your enemies, proceed. The task to a spirit of bitter- 
ness will be easy; and the success certain. 

The question is, however, worth a little candid and 
sober consideration; what will you gain by estab- 
lishing a firm and enduring hostilty between the peo- 
ple of Great Britain and the people of the United 
States? Will you promote a single interest of your 
own country? Commerce is one of its interests; the im- 
portance of which you announce to the world in al- 
most all your laws, political regulations, and political 
books. On corrimerce a great part of your people sub- 
sist. For injuries done to your commerce many of 
your wars have been declared. 

Some of your people have been disposed to con- 
sider us as commercial rivals. This opinion is built. 
Dot upon truth and good sense, but upon jealousy and 
avarice. The world is wide enough to furnish com- 
mercial prosperity to every nation, which will seek it 
with industry, enterprise and perseverance: and both 
you and we may labour in this field, to the utmost, 
with every honest exertion, without doing or suffering 
a single injury. A little expansion of views, united 
with a little equity of disposition, would teach this 
truth to any man capable of comprehending the sub- 
ject. A war, of one year, may easily injure your com- 
merce more than twenty years of our rivalry. War 
between you and us, on this ground, is of exactly the 
same nature with a litigation between two brothers 
concerning their patrimony; which, while it produces 
alienation, hatred and wretchedness, wastes the very 
property, about which they quarrel, 



American Maniifacltires. 167 

But there is another view of this subject, not less 
important to you, and move easily realized by eager 
and avaricious men. /Fe are the beat cuslomers, which 
ifou have or which you can have. We have been so 
long habituated to the use of your manufactures, that 
we steadily prefer thein to those of any other people. 
Our commerce with your dominions has amounted, 
regularly, to two thirds, or three fourths, and always 
to more than lialf, of our whole trade. Cherish it with 
a spirit of moderation and equi<;y, and this proportion 
v/ill not be diminished. Persecute us for a season; and 
it will be soon shrivelled far towards annihilation. 

If proofs of this assertion are necessary; the present 
state of our Manufactures furnishes such as are ample. 
These, according to the returns, made to the Secreta- 
ry of the Treasury in 1 8 lO, are estimated at more than 
one hundred and seventy two millions of dollars. 
From that period they have increased, not only be- 
yond all example, but all belief. You may judge for 
yourself. All the manufactures in the State of Rhode 
Island amounted, according to this estimate, only to 
4,17^,074 dollars. In 1814, the Cotton manufactures 
of this State produced cotton goods, of the value 
of 8,500,000 dollars. An increase of manufactures, of 
many kinds, though not equally yet very great, has 
spread over most of this country. Many of the pro- 
ducts of these labours are not inferiourto any, of the 
same kinds, which are imported. This is true of our 
best Cloths: a manufacture, which has already been 
extended, and is now extending with a rapidity, ex- 
ceeding even the sanguine expectation of projectors. 
Tlic Merino sheep, which have multiplied here with 
very great success, and which, instead of depreciating, 
improve in our pastures, furnish a solid basis for the 
perpetuity of our nianufacturing establishments, of this 



168 American Manufactures. 

class. Others, of many kinds have been increased with 
similar rapidity and similar success. 

A moderate period of time, spent in mutual provo- 
cations and hostilities, will detach the people of this 
country from their habits of using British manufac- 
tures, and rivet th< r attachment to their own. When 
it is remembered, that this country abounds, or may 
easily abound, in materials of almost every kind for 
the exercise of manual ingenuity; that we have wood, 
iron, leather, wool, cotton, flax, hemp, grain, tobacco, 
salt-petre, sulphur, d3'ing materials, all the kinds of 
earths, and every useful species of stone; particularly, 
immense quantities, and very beautiful varieties, of 
marble; that silk is already made here in considerable 
quantities, as easily, and of as good a quality, as in 
Italy; that mines of various metals are discovered al- 
most every year; that we have mill-streams, suffi- 
ciently numerous to supply water-works of every kind 
for several such countries; that we have invented, and 
adopted, many modes of abridging labour, and that 
every such mode is a benefit to the whole community, 
without being injurious to a single individual; and that 
we have sufficient capital, ingenuity, enterprise, and 
perseverance, to carry into execution every thing of 
this nature, which can be of importance to our prosper- 
ity: when these things are remembered by a discreet 
Englishman, he will believe without much difficulty, 
that we shall soon find both our interests, and our 
prejudices, advantageously consulted by preferring the 
fruits of our own labour even to those of British in- 
dustry. 

There is another point of view% in which the im- 
portance of these considerations is still more strongly 
illustrated. In the year 1810, the people of the Unit- 
ed States amounted to more than seven millions. In 



American Imiioris. 169 

t^venty five years they will amount to fourteen mil- 
lious: at least they have hitherto increased in this pro 
portion. In twenty five years, therefore, owr con- 
sumption of your manufactures, if the natural course ot 
things should be uninterrupted, will be double. In 
fifty years it will be quadrupled. In seventy five, we 
shall take off all the superfluous products of your in- 
dustry. Such a source of custom was never before 
opened to any nation in the world. It will be unwise 
in your Statesmen to promote, either in your people, or 
in ours, any dispositions, or any efforts, which may 
prevent, or seriously disturb, a progress of things, of 
which you may avail yourselves with so much ease, 
and so much benefit. 

The Returns, which we make for your manufac- 
tures, are more useful to you than any other. They are 
either money, or raw materials, on which the indus- 
try of your people is to operate; essential to their 
prosperity, and even to their support; furnished on 
|3etter terms than you could obtain them elsewliere; 
many of them inexhaustible; and some of them nol: 
otherwise attainable without a considerable sacrifice. 
Were the decision of this question left to a sober mer- 
chant, common sense would teach him irresistibly, 
that a voluntary relinquishment of such advantages 
would be little less than lunacy. 

You will perhaps reply, that the causes of such an 
event lie with us, and not with yoii. As proof, that 
the assertion isjust, you will probably allege the meas- 
ures of our Government, and particularly its declara 
tion of war against you. 1 readily allow, that the al 
legation is plausible, and that to an EngUshmen ii 
may very naturally appear decisive. Still it is un- 
sound: and if you and your countrymen understood 
the real state of things on this side of the Atlantic, you 



170 Mr, Jefferson and Mr. Madison, 

would acknowledge it to be unsound. Mr. Jefferson 
and Mr. Madison are unquestionably hostile to Gi^eat 
Britain. Their measures have proved this so clearly, 
that to doubt it would be an insult to one's own un- 
derstanding, and to question it, to the understanding 
of others. But they have been less hostile to you 
than to us: and a conviction of this truth has spread 
very far among their own adherents. Except the 
Missions of Pike, Lewis, and Clark, to explore the 
Mississippi and Missouri, there is not a single measure 
originated by either, during the fourteen years of 
their reign, which has reflected the least credit upon 
their character, or produced the least benefit to the 
United States. Mr. Jefferson, indeed, sent a fleet, 
which he truly styled "the least competent force," to 
bumble the insolence of the Bashaw of Tripoli: but 
had not Vrehle and Eaton transcended his orders, 
and with an elevation of character, of which he never 
formed a conception, accomplished what he never in- 
tended, nor believed to be possible; the Bashaw would 
have laughed at Mr. Jefferson, and continued his dep- 
redations on our commerce, and our seamen, to the 
present hour. The truth is; Mr. Jefferson, though 
possessed of considerable ingenuity, and a good deal 
of cunning, is absolutely destitute of wisdom, as well 
as of principle; of that sound, practical good sense, 
which alone has ever been of any use to mankind in 
the management of either their public or their private 
aftairs. Of Mr. Madison it is enough to say, that, 
ivithout the cunning of his Master, he has humbly 
trodden in his steps. If the art of governing consistecj 
in originating, or defending, abstract propositions, or 
general principles, Mr. Madison would not have been 
without his share of reputation among rulers. But as it 
actually consists in the exercise of practical good sense 



Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Madison. 17 J 

and skill in the business of man, directed, as well as 
prompted, by a public, and not a party, spirit; no 
niche will ever be furnished for his reception among 
respectable men of this character. 

Still, they have been useful instructors to the Amer- 
ican people. Mr. Jefferson has taught us, that Infi- 
delity is an unprofitable spirit, and cunning an un- 
profitable guide, in the management of national inter- 
ests. Mr. Madison, as well as his Master, has strongly 
exhibited the visionary nature of theoretical specula- 
tions in the public concerns of mankind. From both, 
also, have we learned, that far other moral dispositions, 
than such as are possessed by these gentlemen, are 
necessary in the Ruler, who is to do good to his coun- 
try. Mr. Jefferson found this country, as he says,"i/i 
the full lide of successful experiment:" under his admin- 
istration, and that of his successor, these overflowing 
waters have all receded, and left their channel bare- 
But we shall not always be ruled by such men, as 
these. Their measures have already wearied the con- 
fidence, and nearly exhausted the patience, even of 
party spirit, blind and bigoted as it is. Like other 
nations we shall, at times, have good Rulers: and the 
community will in the end, like other communities, 
vibrate back to sobriety and common sense. The 
present generation of Americans may not, indeed, 
cease to be politically infatuated: the next will see all 
these things in their true light; and be astonished, that 
they were not thus seen by tlieir fathers. They will 
discern, from the experiment, which we have made, 
what half of the existing generation perfectly under- 
stood belore, that the United States have not, and can- 
not have, any possible interest in making an offhisivc 
war; that neither their situalion, nor the nature of 
their government i permit them to engage in such a 



172 Character of the English Nation* 

'ivar; and that all their prosperity is involved in the 
continuance of peace. These truths every impartial 
American has long since understood; and they are 
11 ow extensively believed even by prejudice itself. 

The present war, therefore, and the present Rulers, 
furnish no solid evidence, that even our Government 
will be permanently hostile to yours; much less that 
the Nation will feel this hostility. 

The character of your nation is well understood on 
this side of the Atlantic. By a great part of the peo- 
ple of the United States full justice is done to your 
talents and your worth, your institutions and your 
efforts. We know, that you are a great nation, and 
have achieved distinguished glory in many ways, and 
those of supreme importance. But we do not think, 
that you have any knack at making friends. You form 
too high an estimate of your own importance to suffer 
you to be agreeable to others; loftily claim the respect, 
which other nations solicit; and receive it as a tribute, 
where other nations receive it as a proof of civility. In 
their books, and in their conversation, Englishmen 
are, more than any people, busied in comparing them- 
selves with other nations, and whatever is contained in 
England with the same or similar things, found in 
other countries. The result of this comparison is 
almost always in favour of themselves, and of what- 
ever is theirs. Their climate, their soil, their weather, 
their productions, their talents, their institutions, their 
religion, their church, their manners, their morals, are 
all better than the same things in any other country. 
They, only, are clean, and neat, in their persons, and 
houses. They, only, have good beef. Their peaches, 
under a half frosty sun, are better than those of the 
United States, with all the advantages which the finest 
sf^asons can give; and a Scotchman, rioting on the 



Insolence of English Travellers. 173 

rich fruits of this country, will gravely inform you, 
that theij are not so glide, as those, xvhich grow in the 
garden of the Duke of Argyle. American cipples are 
exported to England in great quantities; and arc cried 
in your markets at high prices; yet an Englishman, 
sojourning in the United States, pronounces without 
hesitation, that they are far inferiour to the apples of 
his own country. An Englishman, not long since 
travelling in the State of JSiew Yoj^k, stopped at an 
inn in Poughkeepsie. Here he called for a beef 
steak; and at the same time complained bitterly, that 
he had not found a single good dish, of this kind, since 
he had been in America. The inn-keeper told him, 
that he would give him one: and going into the 
kitchen, ordered the cook to sprinkle the steak witii 
sulphur. The Englishman pronounced it delicious. 

This comparison occupies a great part of the con- 
versation of your countrymen; and is regularly made 
with haughty airs, and in an imperious style; and, 
however pleasant to him, who makes it, is not apt to 
be very agreeable to ethers. Were we to receive it 
tamely, we should deserve the contempt, which you 
heap upon us with so much liberality. 

Nor is this insolence exhibited to its only. Your 
treatment of other nations is seasoned with the same 
gpicery. Wherever it exists, it is felt, resented, and re- 
membered. The last Englishman, whom we have 
seen, has treated us in this manner: we expect the 
same treatment from the next; and are not often dis- 
appointed. / never knew Jriends made by this con- 
duct. Frenchmen, known to possess scarcely a twen- 
tieth part of your honesty, and inferiour to you in 
every other respectable attribute, beside civility, will 
secure many friends, where you only make enemies, 
23 



1 74 Conclusion. 

How will you justify this imperious spirit, and be- 
haviour? Look at the picture, which I have drawn 
of your character as a people, from your own books; 
and those, of unquestionable authority. Can you see 
in it any reasons even to palliate this insolence? The 
stains are numerous, and dark: while I cheerfully ac- 
knowledge the ground-work to be bright. The 
Saviour of mankind, when solicited by the Pharisees 
to condemn a miserable woman, apprehended in the 
commission of adultery, directed "him, who was with- 
out sin" among them, to cast the first stone at this cul- 
prit. When your nation has cleansed itself, it will be 
soon enough for you to stone others. 

In spite of all your contempt, and of all your asper- 
sions, the inhabitants of the American States will, in 
the ordinary course of Providence, become a numerous, 
and, permit me to say, a great and prosperous nation. 
Our advantages of situation, soil, and climate, of man- 
ners, laws, morals, and religion, are such, whatever 
your Reviewers, and your Travellers, may think 
concerning us, that we shall multiply, increase in 
strength, improve in arts and knowledge, and, I hope, 
advance in morals, to such a degree, as to compel other 
nations to respect us; even if we should continue to be 
bated and despised by you. 

You will say, perhaps, that our government is bad. 
Yours, during a great part of your national exis- 
tence, has been <worse. You have made it, in your own 
opinion, the best in the world. Time may enable us 
to improve ours. You assert, that our Riders are 
weak and wicked. You have had many such. We, as 
well as you, may at times have better. You censure 
us for our parly spirit. Lock at your own people^ 
arrayed against each other under the banners of 
York and Lancastm^; and pouring out the blood of 



Conclusion. 175 

one hundred thousand men, to determine the important 
question, Whether the White, or the Red, Rose should 
prevail; and then remember, that in our party jang- 
lings not a life has hitherto been lost, except that of 
the brave General Lingan: a martyr to the violence 
of just such a mob, as you have often seen rolling 
through the streets of London. Even he was butchered 
by foreigners. There are many things, which disgrace, 
and distress, this country: but there is nothing which 
forbids a rational belief, that it may at no great distance 
of time, be peaceful, virtuous, and happ3\ 

But there is another point of view, in which these 
attempts to establish alienation, and hostility, between 
you and us, are still more to be regretted. A great 
number of your people, with a spirit, in the highest 
degree honourable to themselves, and singularly glo- 
rious to your cwmtry, have begun, within a i'cw years, 
to send throughout the world the Word of God, and 
Ministers to preach it. The progress, which they have 
made, is scarcely less astonishing than the rise, and the 
dovvnfal of Napoleon; and has excited the admiration, 
and called forth the blessings, of good, and even of 
bad men, in every part of Christendom. Multitudes, 
in many countries, have cordially united themselves 
to these Benefactors of the world. In this country 
there are many Missionary, and at least sixty-five Bi- 
blc Societies: and both are increasing in their num- 
bers, and their efforts. All these are equally desirous 
to co-operate with your countrymen in this exalted 
design. To me, Sir, it seems unhappy, that any ob- 
struction should be thrown in their way. Were you 
to ask Lord Teigmnoiith, Mr. JVilberJorce, or many 
thousands of others, who adorn your country with in- 
telligence and virtue, I am persuaded that they would 
answer you in similar terras. When it is remember- 



176 Conclusion. 

edj that the English Language is now established, to 
a considerable extent, in the four quarters of the globe, 
and in New Holland also, you will see that a founda- 
tion is laid for making it the means of communicating 
the knowledge of Christianity throughout the world. 
Those, who speak it, may, and, if wise, will, aid 
each other in the great work of spreading the Religion 
of the Gospel over the globe; and through this medi- 
um of communication will be enabled, with a facility 
otherwise unattainable, to spread salvation through all 
*'the habitations of cruelty." Men, willing to embark 
in such a design, anct possessing advantageous means 
for accomplishing it, should never be hindered in their 
exertions: nor can any man be justified, who volun- 
tarily throws obstructions in their way; or wantonly 
attempts to alienate them from each other. 

It is high time. Sir, that a nobler spirit should be 
found in enlightened nations, as well as in enlightened 
individuals. Rivalry, contempt, and bittei^ness, have 
reigned long enough. These dispositions have never 
reformed either individuals or nations. Sometimes 
they may have checked insolence and abuse; but they 
never made a friend, nor conciliated an enemy. Can- 
dour and generosity achieve triumphs incomparably 
more numerous, and more honourable; and invest the 
temples of the victor with wreaths which cannot fade. 
Permit me to hope that the intelligent men of your 
nation will, in greater numbers, hereafter believe, that 
these are triumphs more deserving of their ambition; 
and laurels, which they may wear with superiour and 
more enduring glory. 

THE END. 

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